FRANKFORT, KY. - Just as certain as Governor Andy Beshear's 5:00 p.m. daily coronovirus update, is his ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter's presence. On most days, that interpreter is Virginia Moore. She's become so popular, that kids sent in their video questions to get to know Moore for a "Meet Virginia" Facebook video launch on the Kentucky Hands & Voices page Thursday night.
Moore explained, she learned sign language as her first language.
"My parents are deaf, both Mom and Dad. I have a deaf sister. I have a deaf brother, and I have two other hearing sisters. So, my family taught me sign language. That was my first language," she said.
One child, 9-year-old Karson, observed: "standing alongside the governor everyday has brought a lot of attention to sign language."
Others asked Moore if ASL would become more prevalent because of her noticed presence in Beshear's press conferences throughout the pandemic.
"Maybe," she replied. "This is the first time the governor has permitted us to have an interpreter, and it seems the world is seeing an interpreter for the first time and the importance. So, I hope ASL becomes more and more used. I hope everyone sees the importance of it."