La Salle Public Library to host a Conversation with Academy Award-Winning Actress Marlee Matlin

At 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14, the La Salle Public Library will join libraries across the state of Illinois in hosting award-winning actress, Illinois native and deaf rights advocate, Marlee Matlin.

In celebration of Deaf Awareness Month, Matlin will share the highs and lows of her Hollywood career and journeys as an activist. As the youngest recipient of the Best Actress Oscar for her film debut, Matlin’s acting career didn’t slow down.

She went on to receive Emmy nominations for her television work including roles on Seinfeld, The West Wing, and Law & Order: SVU. Most recently, her Apple TV+ film, CODA, swept every category it was nominated for at the 2022 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

In addition to acting, Matlin starred on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. She has written three children’s novels, a bestselling autobiography and released an app to help teach American Sign Language to millions of smartphone users.

A longtime advocate for deaf rights, Matlin continued to break barriers for herself and others through her acting, awareness and writing. The conversation will be offered in ASL and translated through an interpreter.

This event is presented in partnership with Illinois Libraries Present, which is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a Department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.

The virtual event is free and open to the public; registration is required. To register go to https://bit.ly/ILP_MarleeMatlin. For more information, call the library at 815-223-2341.