Troy Kotsur made history at the 2022 Oscars when he was awarded Best Supporting Actor for his performance in “CODA.” Troy Kotsur is the first deaf man to be awarded an Academy Award. During his acceptance speech, he expressed gratitude for the moment, “This is amazing to be here on this journey. I cannot believe I’m here. Thank you so much to all the members of the Academy for recognizing my work.” The “CODA” movie launches the viewer into the life of a deaf family and helps them understand the struggles of being a deaf person in a society prone to misunderstanding them.
“CODA” takes place in Massachusetts, following a girl named Ruby, the only person in her family who can hear. At seventeen, she works mornings before school to help her parents and brother keep their fishing business afloat. After, she goes to school and decides to join her high school’s choir, Ruby finds herself enjoying the company of her duet partner and discovers her intense passion for singing.
Personally, I found that this movie hit close to home because my family is in a similar situation. My mom is the only deaf person in my family and she never tries to let being deaf get in the way of living her life. Although I do know that because she can’t hear, she has a serious fear of missing out, so I am usually an interpreter for her. “CODA” was a movie that showed all the ups and downs of having deaf family members and it felt amazing to see a family that represented one similar to mine. My mom is an incredible woman and I know that she greatly enjoyed this movie because it reminded her that so many others deal with what we deal with.
The Viking Journal 