Today we’d like to introduce you to Mikayla Monnie.
Hi Mikayla, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Oregon. I started college at the University of Oregon and took my first American Sign Language (ASL) class while there. I took Spanish in high school and was terrible at it. I’m a visual learner so I thought ASL would be easier for me. It was easier for me to understand but still hasn’t been an easy journey. After my first semester of ASL, I immediately fell in love with the language and the Deaf community. After serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Canada, I knew I wanted to be involved in the Deaf community somehow. I moved to Utah in 2017 to study Deaf Studies with an emphasis in interpreting at Utah Valley University. After graduating in 2019, I struggled to pass the Utah Novice interpreter test to become an ASL interpreter. I passed the written part of the test without any problems in 2017. But the performance part of the test was my biggest challenge. I first took the test at the beginning of 2019. I didn’t pass. But not a problem because I hadn’t graduated yet and just wanted to see if I could pass. I took the test again a few months after graduating. Once again, I failed the test. I was discouraged but blamed it on the fact that I wasn’t using ASL every day. So I applied to work as a paraprofessional at the school for the Deaf in SLC. I didn’t get the job but was hired to work in their after-school program instead which was only a couple of hours a week. It was better than nothing! I was working with Deaf people and using ASL again. In January 2020, I took the test for the 3rd time. With the shutdown happening a couple of months later, it took much longer to get my test results. In the middle of the shutdown, I received my results that I again had failed the test. I was so discouraged. I had tried the best I could to prepare for the test. I had been trying to use ASL more and was working in the community. What more did I need to do? I felt very lost and like many during that time, was in limbo. I once again applied to be a paraprofessional. I worked hard to show my boss that I really wanted the job and would be a great employee. I was hired Fall of 2020 as a paraprofessional! I was so excited to be working with Deaf children and using ASL every day. I started realizing how much I wanted to work in Early Intervention. I have a strong passion for Deaf children to learn ASL and felt that working with families and babies would be the best way to do that. But that meant I would have to go back to school. Something I NEVER wanted to do after graduating with my Bachelor’s. One day I got an email about a grant being offered for a Master’s program at the University of Utah for Deaf education. I had one month to apply. That didn’t leave me much time to consider the decision or pray about going back to school. I called my parents to tell them I wanted to go back to school. My mom got emotional and told me that about a week before, she told my dad that I should go back to school but wasn’t going to mention it because she didn’t want me to feel pressured. That was confirmation that I was supposed to apply. So I did! If I got accepted and received the grant, then I knew this was the right decision. Both came true. I’ve now been in my program for a year and a half and will graduate in Spring. But my story doesn’t end there. Around that same time, I was offered a job to work for the ASL department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, helping with teleprompting for the ASL interpreters. I did part of my internship here so I was familiar with the job expectations. This was a great opportunity for me because I was around ASL interpreters and was given more exposure to ASL. I learned a lot about the process of interpreting and got to watch professionals at work. Since I had gone back to school, I had decided that interpreting wasn’t for me. At least for the time being. If I wanted to try again later, I could take other tests or not even worry about it. Back in Spring of this year, I had an opportunity to interpret for an event last minute. It was a church event which meant I could interpret without being certified. I hadn’t interpreted a live event in YEARS! I was terrified but it actually went well! I felt great about my interpretation. Something was reignited in me that night. Interpreting, which I hadn’t thought about doing for about two years suddenly seemed like a possibility. My love and desire for interpreting came back. The only issue was I had until December of this year to take it and pass it. Oh, and I was in the middle of a Master’s program. If I wanted to take it, I had to do it soon. I signed up to take the test in August. I studied when I could, got advice and critiques from my interpreter friends and prepared for the test. The day came and I was anxious and overwhelmed. I spent the day trying to be calm and relaxing. I went in and took the test. I left feeling like I had done the best I could. I felt that my skills had greatly improved. I knew I wasn’t perfect but given the circumstances, I gave it my best. Now for the waiting game. These tests take WEEKS to receive scores. I wanted over 9 weeks for my results. While on lunch break at work, the email came. I saw the words “Congratulations” in the preview of the email and knew I had passed. I opened the email in disbelief. Reading that I had passed the test and was certified as an interpreter was one of the best moments of my life. I immediately began sobbing and was in shock. I Facetimed my parents in tears to tell them the news. All I had to say was, “I passed” and they knew what I meant. They were so excited for me. I was still in shock. I checked and reread that email 10 times because I couldn’t believe it. I had finally passed the test and was a certified ASL interpreter in Utah!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. It has been bumpy with many twists and turns. In my freshman year of college, I found out my mom had cancer. I was gutted. Destroyed and unsure of what the future looked like for my family. Thankfully I was living about two hours from home at the time which made it easy to come home to visit. I have been very blessed to have a mom who beat cancer. Those years were difficult on our family, but we held on to the knowledge that our family would be together no matter what. I’m very thankful to have my mom who has been my biggest support throughout my schooling. Passing the test and becoming an interpreter wasn’t easy. I wanted to give up many times. Even while in my program, I felt it wasn’t for me. I felt lost and not sure what to do with my life. The goals and hopes I had for my future weren’t coming true the way I wanted them. I struggled in self-love and confidence. I doubted my abilities and listened to the lies I told myself. Not passing the test made me feel inadequate to be successful in any field because I couldn’t be successful in the field I had received a degree in. I struggled to understand the language fully. I had anxiety and difficulties with test taking. I had my heart broken many times and felt unloved and not good enough. My anxiety and depression worsened over time. I’ve had dark days and moments of wanting to throw in the towel and quit.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I currently work as a paraprofessional at Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind in Salt Lake City. I work with Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. I have worked in this position since the Fall of 2020. I am a teacher’s aide, so I support my teacher and the students. I use American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate with my students and coworkers. It is an awarding job to see my students grow and progress. I have wanted to work in education since the 3rd grade. But when I started college, I lost the passion I once had. I felt like something was missing. Once I discovered the Deaf community, I realized what the missing piece was. I didn’t want to be a regular elementary school teacher. I wanted to work with Deaf kids. My job is challenging at times. It has pushed me in many ways, especially during the pandemic. But there is nothing better than my students being excited to see me. Their love and care for me makes my heart happy. It is an amazing feeling when they accomplish something I know they have worked hard on. I feel like my hard work is worth it. It is because of my experience working at the Deaf school that I decided to get a degree in Deaf education at the University of Utah.
I also work for the ASL department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I work as a teleprompter. I help with events like General Conference, broadcasts and other church projects. This has been a really cool experience to work with many incredibly talented interpreters. I have learned so much from them. I also love being able to help provide access to church content/material to the Deaf community. It’s a special job that I greatly enjoy. I also recently became an ASL interpreter. I am applying for jobs and, hopefully will begin working as an interpreter as well. I would love to be an interpreter for the church one day as well as interpret for concerts.
I am the most proud of my determination to not give up. The last few years have been hard on many people. Life hasn’t gone the way I planned but I never gave up. I kept trying. There were many times I was close to throwing in the towel and being done but something kept pushing me. I’m grateful to be where I am today and know it can only get better from here. Many more opportunities are coming my way!
I also have a small business I run through Instagram. It is called August Wynn Designs. I make wooden boards, mostly as wedding gifts. But I can make any kind of sign with any fonts, wood pieces, any quotes or words. They are great Christmas, anniversary, birthday and weddings gifts. Pricing depends on the piece. Direct message through Instagram or email is a great way to contact me about a project.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I think that many people see me as someone who is happy all the time and has their life together but that isn’t the case. I am happy with my life but I’m not always happy and positive. I struggle with depression and anxiety. Many people who don’t know me personally or who aren’t close with me wouldn’t think I struggle with mental health. I’m open about it on my social media but if you don’t see that and only look at me from the outside, I seem great without difficulties. I have my ups and downs. Some days are better than others. I do love my life and I am happy but I’m not this happy bubbly person all the time. I really try to be. I try to be the person who shows up for others. But I get down on myself. I have my own insecurities I work through. I try to find joy and gratitude in every day but sometimes, it’s not possible. I’m a big believer in living an authentic and real life and being genuinely yourself. And if someone can’t accept that, it’s not my problem.
For those who know me, this isn’t surprising but it is who I am and represent, so I thought I’d add this in. My social media account is all about being body positive, self-love and being authentically yourself. That is what I represent. I’ve mentioned that my life hasn’t gone as planned. I thought at this point in my life I would be married with children. That hasn’t happened for me yet. But I believe that my mission is to spread love, positivity and realness into the world. I could sit and sulk and be sad that I don’t have what I want. But I’ve decided to live a life I love, relationship or not. I am not defined by my relationship status. I live a life full of adventures and experiences. Whether I’m doing them alone or with friends, I am living my life. For so long, I felt there were many things I couldn’t do because I didn’t have a partner to do them with. I stopped having that mindset and just did life the way I wanted to do it. Do I want to be married and have a family? Of course! But I’m not letting life pass me by waiting for that to happen. I’m doing what makes me happy! Furthering my education and becoming more qualified in different fields. I am about finding what brings me the most joy and happiness and living my authentic and real self. That is what my “brand” is. I’m a safe place for people to be themselves, to not be perfect but to be honest about their struggles and challenges. We all have them. The way I live my life and show it via social media is the same. I’m me. Take it or leave it 🙂
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @mustbethemonnie | @augustwynndesigns
- TikTok: @mustbethemonnie
