The Heckscher Museum is honored to have been gifted an American Sign Language (ASL) sign name by Mónica Ortiz-Menier, an artist and member of the Museum’s Accessibility Committee. Sign names are a cherished tradition in deaf culture typically given to a person and only created and given by deaf individuals. It is unusual to give a museum a sign name. Ortiz-Menier explains, “I was moved to gift the museum a sign after seeing how the work with Heckscher and the Town of Huntington was so impactful to the deafblind/blind community. I was touched and amazed by the museum’s efforts to go above and beyond to be inclusive for the deaf and hard of hearing community.” ASL interpretation for the video has been provided by Angie Bedoya. Thank you to Ortiz-Menier and all who helped guide her in her creation of the name sign.
Ortiz-Menier was a member of the Heckscher Museum’s Accessibility Advisory Group as part of her work program with Helen Keller
National Center. She collaborated with the New York Pubic Library’s Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library for the Museum’s Soundwalk projects. Her contribution helped Heckscher Museum receive a number of awards: the Engaging Communities 2025 Award of Distinction from the Museum Association of New York (MANY), as well an Award of Excellence from the Greater Hudson Heritage Network. As an artist, she has had many of her tactile Pop Art pieces showcased in the Journey Through Touch exhibition, PW Art Guild, Port Washington, NY (2023); and Three River Arts Festival (TRAF) in the gallery of Anthropology of Motherhood, and the Art in Hand exhibit presented by Radiant Hall (2024) both in Pittsburgh, PA. She has collaborated with Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (LAMP), and Radiant Hall and their artists to curate her exhibit supported by The Pittsburgh Trust. (Right, Heather Arnet and Mónica Ortiz-Menier.)
Angie Bedoya (she/hers) was raised on Long Island, NY. She lost her hearing as a baby due to her mom’s rubella during pregnancy and is the only deaf child of her hearing parents. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a minor in Studio Art during the COVID-19 pandemic. This period also allowed her to transition to a raw vegan lifestyle, eliminating oil and sugar, which helped her recover from lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. For the past several years, she has been working with the DeafBlind community as a Co-Navigator and Support Service Provider, where she is gaining valuable knowledge and experience in her journey.
Both Ortiz Menier and Bedoya are Gallaudet Alumni.
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The Dove/Torr Soundwalk and Heckscher Park Soundwalk were created with support from a Dorothy C. Radgowski Learning Through Women’s Achievement in the Arts Grant, a joint effort of Where Women Made History (WWMH), and HAHS at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Special thanks to Susan Buroker, Evangeline Knell, Girls Inc. Long Island, Monica Ortiz-Menier, Helen Keller National Center, and the Heckscher Museum Accessibility Advisory Group for their work on the project. Tactile Maps and Signage were created and installed for this project at Heckscher Park and the Dove/Torr Cottage with generous grant support from the Town of Huntington Environmental Open Space & Park Fund Advisory Committee.
