In celebration of Deaf Awareness Month, Marlee Matlin joins Illinois Libraries Present to share the highs and lows of her Hollywood career and journeys as an activist. The youngest recipient of the Best Actress Oscar, Matlin’s acting career recently achieved another milestone as her 2021 film CODA swept every category it was nominated in at the 2022 Academy Awards. The event will be held virtually on Wednesday, September 14 at 7 p.m. Click the here to register and receive the Zoom link.

The youngest recipient of the Best Actress Oscar for her film debut, Matlin’s acting career took off. She went on to receive Emmy nominations for her television work including roles on Seinfeld, The West Wing, and Law & Order: SVU. Most recently, her Apple TV+ film CODA swept every category it was nominated in at the 2022 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

In addition to acting, Matlin broke barriers when she starred on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. She has written three children’s novels, a bestselling autobiography, and released an app to help teach American Sign Language to millions of smart phone users. A longtime advocate for deaf rights, Matlin continues to break down barriers for herself and others through her acting, awareness, and writing. As she has so aptly stated, “The only thing I can’t do is hear. The rest is there for the taking.”

This inspiring conversation will be offered in ASL and translated through an interpreter.

This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering high-quality events. ILP is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).