LSA brings Deaf students to Philadelphia Union Kids Day anthem performance

Language Services Associates and the Philadelphia Union used Kids Day on Oct. 17 at Subaru Park to center language access and inclusion. Students from the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf performed the National Anthem in American Sign Language, highlighting accessibility for Deaf and hard-of-hearing fans.

Why it matters: - The pregame performance put language access in front of thousands of soccer fans at Subaru Park. - The event showed how American Sign Language can expand participation for Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities. - The collaboration tied accessibility to a major public moment, not just a behind-the-scenes service.

What happened: - On Oct. 17, Language Services Associates and the Philadelphia Union marked Kids Day with a National Anthem performance in American Sign Language. - Students from the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf performed alongside Victoria Rodriguez-Mitchell, an American Sign Language expert with LSA. - The performance took place at Subaru Park before the Philadelphia Union game. - LSA was the match's title sponsor and the Philadelphia Union's official interpretation and translation partner.

The details: - The students represented the Deaf community in front of a stadium audience. - The performance framed ASL as both a language and a cultural expression. - Deaf and hard-of-hearing fans often experience the anthem visually through ASL rather than through sound alone. - Victoria Rodriguez-Mitchell said the students were showing that Deaf individuals belong in every space and deserve every opportunity. - Rodriguez-Mitchell has spent more than three decades advocating for Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities and serves as the Philadelphia Union's ASL interpreter for the National Anthem. - LSA and the Philadelphia Union have also worked on captioned content and community outreach efforts to make matchday more accessible. - LSA CEO Scott Cooper took part in the day with a ceremonial first kick before the game.

Between the lines: - The event used a sports platform to normalize accessibility in a setting built around shared public experience. - LSA's title sponsorship went beyond branding and reinforced its broader mission to remove communication barriers. - The presentation suggested that representation itself can be a form of access, especially for young Deaf students.

What's next: - LSA and the Philadelphia Union are positioned to continue accessibility efforts through interpretation, captioning and community programming. - The partnership appears aimed at making more matchday moments usable for Deaf and hard-of-hearing fans. - Future public-facing events could further connect language access with sports community outreach.

The bottom line: - The Philadelphia Union Kids Day performance turned a pregame tradition into a visible example of inclusion and language access.