Signs of love at ASL show

Video by Olivia Berden.

At the end of the final showing of Bella and the Beast, this year’s American Sign Language performance, a special event rejuvenated the whole room.

Ovida de Julia, Castro Valley High’s longtime ASL teacher, came to the Feb. 9 show to watch her classes perform. de Julia, who has been hospitalized for cancer and absent from school since November, mustered her strength to come to the final showing. Her appearance gave a lift to the audience and her students who had missed her for several months.

“Once she started signing again, I felt at home,” said ASL senior Thien Huynh.

Normally de Julia plays a large role in the ASL show. In this year’s show, she explained, she was only a co-author. She constantly credited the students for creating the show themselves, especially recognizing director Trevor Olazabal and her daughter and script co-author Lavender de Julia.

“I initially wanted to write some notes before coming up here, but I decided I would finally come up here and say it all from the heart,” de Julia signed as an interpreter spoke her words aloud.

de Julia spoke of her struggle against a rare cancer that doctors unexpectedly discovered when removing her appendix.

She apologized to her students, especially to the seniors, for being absent.

“These students stuck with me last year when I was beginning to feel more and more ill. I was throwing up, losing weight, and passing out,” she said.

de Julia wanted to come and help the students for this year’s show, but revealed that the students needed her so much that they encouraged her to “stay home and rest.”

This year’s show involved two themes, de Julia said: unconditional love and surpassing adversity. Both are reflected in her fight against cancer, she said.

de Julia reminded the students that she loves them and thanked them for the love they have shown her.

She stated that her obvious adversity is her battle against cancer, yet she also pointed out that everyone has to struggle with challenges and roadblocks, reminding everyone to count their blessings.

“When I watched her performance, I was reminded of what’s important and how there will be different adversities we all have to face,” said Huynh.

ASL junior Nikki Su agreed. “The bond we had up there on stage is real. That night made me realize how much ASL and Ms. de Julia have impacted my life, and how important they are to me.”

During her appearance, de Julia bravely maintained her composure while the majority of the ASL students on stage shed tears.

“The doctors don’t know if I’ll be able to come back,” she said. “What I do know is that no one can define my life. The only person I know who can define my life and future is me and God.”

de Julia gave medals to her students while she signed the words to the song “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri.
“I’ve been holding this song for two years. It doesn’t matter what happens to me. I will always love you all and hold you in my heart,” she signed as her students and the audience cried alike.