Born and raised on Long Island, Jovina Bratta grew up in a big, loving Italian household alongside her two brothers. But there was something unique about her family dynamic: her younger brother, Matty, was born deaf.
From an early age, Matty had made the decision not to wear a cochlear implant—an electronic device that allows some deaf individuals to perceive sound. Comfortable in his non-hearing identity, Matty’s choice shaped the entire family. Rather than asking Matty to change, the Brattas changed for Matty.
“I fell in love with ASL because it was my only way of communicating with my brother,” Bratta said.
Her mother went on to become a sign language interpreter, and the family fully embraced Matty’s deafness instead of seeing it as a limitation. Through this experience, Bratta was introduced to American Sign Language and Deaf culture at a young age, growing a deeper sense of empathy and awareness that would later influence Bratta’s career.
“There are many deaf individuals you should want to communicate with. It is a beautiful visual language.”
Although Bratta always knew she wanted a career centered around audition and Deaf advocacy, her path was not immediately clear. She initially attended college for music, but everything changed when she discovered a non-hearing program. Immersed in the culture and language of American Sign Language, Bratta realized what she was destined to do.
She completed her bachelor’s degree through LIU and master’s degree at Columbia University and officially began her journey as an American Sign Language educator.
After inspiring countless high school students to pursue ASL and careers within the Deaf community, Bratta’s next mission is to bring ASL programs to East Islip Middle School, hoping to make the language more accessible at an earlier age.
After 16 years of teaching at East Islip High School, Bratta has become known not only for her skills, but for her dedicated and inspiring teaching style. Her name is easily remembered by former students as someone who made a lasting impact.
“She’s a really nice teacher and I like that way she interacts with us, ” ASL student Kaylee O’Boyle said. “She makes learning ASL very interesting.”
“She does so much for everyone, and gets the whole class involved while learning. It’s just so great to have a good class that wants to sign and be engaged,” second year ASL student Sam Schiano added.
Through her dedication, Bratta continues to influence our hearing community to become more understanding and inclusive. This leaves a step in a new direction for the East Islip community–building bridges between the hearing and Deaf communities, one sign at a time.