2007 Debbie Rennie Interview
Channel: RIT Libraries
Date: 2019-03-26

Summarized by Joan Naturale. Miriam Lerner developed the interview questions. Rennie is interviewed by Susan Chapel. Debbie Rennie shares influences on her development as an ASL poet, starting with transferring to a Deaf school when she was 12. Her world opened up in an ASL rich accessible environment. In the evenings, the students would create stories and she took a mime class which led to performances.  She reflects upon her NTID years in the 1980s where she participated in Sunshine II, and interned in the Performing Arts department. Classes such as Creative Sign Language (taught by Patrick Graybill), Deaf Literature (taught by Robert Panara), dance (taught by Steph Z.), and acting honed her translation, movement, art, and ASL poetry skills. 

During this time, she, Peter Cook and Kenny Lerner became roommates. They constantly discussed ideas for their poetry work and performed. She discovered the realization that she did not have to write in English to produce poetry—that she could create in ASL.   One poem that stands out for her is “Hamburg” which she did with Peter and considers it the best work they have done. She started attending interpreted poetry readings where she saw Jim Cohn read his works. He had a great influence on her and encouraged her as a poet. She also met Donna Kachites who became her interpreter when she performed. 

Rennie discusses the importance of the first 1987 National ASL Poetry Conference which brought together poets with different expressive styles like Ella Mae Lentz, Clayton Valli, Patrick Graybill, Peter Cook, and herself. ASL poetry exploded and she along with Patrick Graybill and Dennis Webster performed at “The Cellar” or “The Ritz” on Tuesday nights with fellow poets like Peter Cook. Another venue for performances was Jazzberries where interpreted performances were conducted for a mixed audience of Deaf and hearing people. Around this time, there was a group of Deaf and hearing poets and interpreters (Debbie, Peter, Kenny, Jim, Donna) who called themselves “Bridge Of”, a short-lived group. 

In order to prepare for her poetry performances, she would videotape herself and give the video to her interpreter, Donna Kachites who took notes. Then Debbie would review the notes and they would meet to discuss how best to interpret the work and practice. They practiced so they could give a flawless performance. Debbie and Donna were committed to having the whole community involved, including Deaf and hearing, so all could have access and understand the performance. 

Some of Rennie’s poems highlighted social issues she cared about, such as “Veal Boycott”, and “Missing Children”.  Debbie likes to project emotions into her work. There are several influences on her works—she has incorporated techniques such as the way Ella Mae Lentz uses rhythm and repetition, handshape formation from Patrick Graybill, backward/forward movements, and shifts in time and place from Peter Cook, and infusing symbols and metaphors. She discusses the importance of using classifiers as they provide perspective and a rich and visual image, such as showing the different ways a person walks. ASL poetry expression involves so many other features and elements such as choosing the correct sign angle, showing emotions, using facial expressions, moving the body for special effect, standing a particular way, and more. She takes all of these ideas and techniques and mixes them up to refine her poems.

Not surprisingly, Debbie sees her identity bound with being an ASL poet which is a source of pride and self-actualization for her.  Over the years her work has evolved in its maturity and elegance. She finds poetry therapeutic and will create poems out of painful experiences or increase awareness of social issues that she cares about. 

After she left NTID, she settled in Sweden. The 1980s was a time of discovering ASL poetry as if a flower was blooming.  She believes she has taken those seeds and disseminated them in Sweden through educational videos where an appreciation of sign poetry is part of the curriculum at five Deaf schools.

Visual description: Debbie Rennie has glasses and shoulder-length brown hair and bangs. She is wearing a brown long-sleeved shirt.  She is in front of a blue-green background.  For more information, please go to the Deaf Studies Archive finding aid link URL: https://archivesspace.rit.edu/repositories/2/resources/815

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