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Rosanna Kim

Biography

“I was born into a boundary line between two distinct worlds – the deaf world and the hearing world. Growing up, my experience traversing between the worlds has defined who I am. But the most distinct impact of my experience with deaf parents is the inexplicably intimate bond I have developed with language.”

Program: 2009 College Scholarship Recipient

Resides: Gaithersburg, MD 

Hometown: Gaithersburg, MD

Age: 17

Four-year College or University: Swarthmore College

Other Interests: Sports (field hockey), Music (piano), Reading, Writing


Highlights of Young Scholar Experience: In 2007 and 2008, Rosanna Kim studied law and policy under Brian Wolfman, Director of the Public Citizen Litigation Group, through the Foundation’s Advanced Mentorship Program. During her summers, she was able to explore her interests while taking honors creative writing classes at Northwestern University and Constitutional Law and Legal Advocacy classes at Yale University.

Profile: Rosanna learned to be a responsible member of her family at a very young age. She is an only child and both her parents are deaf. Rosanna does not have a hearing impairment and being fluent in American Sign Language, she often serves as an interpreter for her parents. Being a child of deaf parents, Rosanna grew up with a unique life background and views herself as “a part of both deaf and hearing cultures.” She was also exposed to the complexities of language early on in her life. “I learned sign language before I learn how to speak English. As a result, being able to see language in three dimensions, not only two has given me a love for writing. I enjoy playing with language, seeking to challenge its traditional conventions.”

Inspiration: There are two people Rosanna has met in her life that have had a dramatic influence on her, and they are at different ends of the legal spectrum. One is former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor who she met while in elementary school. The other, is her mentor at the Public Defender’s Office in Rockville, Samuel Delgado. Rosanna spent over a year working in the office and she witnessed Mr. Delgado’s passion for the law and the protection of civil liberties.

Aspiration: Rosanna hopes to have a career in law or the public service sector. After seeing the beauty of America’s legal system first-hand, “I know I want to spend my life protecting the uniquely beautiful kind of justice that exists in our country.”

Making a Difference: She often served as a translator for her parents and recognizing this responsibility made her realize the value of service. It motivated Rosanna to engage herself in various aspects of serving the community. Aside from her volunteer work at the Public Defender’s Office, she has been active in a variety of student government organizations working to lobby for student rights.

Accolades: She has won many honors in a variety of different subjects, but is most proud of her writing awards. In 2008, she finished 5^th out of over 9,000 entries in the Kaplan/Newsweek National “My Turn” essay contest. She also scored high marks in other national writing competitions sponsored by Rider University and Susquehanna University.

Interesting fact: During the 2009 Maryland General Assembly, Rosanna worked as a student page in Annapolis for the House of Delegates.

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