Shari Bernius has stood by mayors and parish presidents as they have delivered orders and warnings about hurricanes and COVID.
She’s also been present when total strangers have delivered their baby.
As an American Sign Language interpreter, Shari’s skills and services take her to virtually any situation that a deaf person is in need of communicating with the hearing world. As you can imagine, those situations are numerous.
Throughout my reporting career in New Orleans, I’ve seen Shari at countless news conferences and events, but we’ve never really spoke. Deadlines and duties usually get in the way of that.
Recently, I saw Shari at a news conference ahead of the Carnival parade season, and I asked her if she’d be open to discussing what she’s witnessed in her decades of interpreting for the deaf community.
I thought I’d get juicy tidbits about the political personalities she’s worked alongside, but what she shared with me was far more eye-opening. Click the link above to hear our enlightening conversation.
