Johnson, Karen Billie

Born at Shiprock, NM; deafness discovered at 3 months of age, possibly from a fall. Entered the New Mexico School for the Deaf at age 6, 1978, graduating in 1991. Took a silversmithing course at a community college in Shiprock but had to drop out for lack of ASL interpreters. She also recovered from a serious automobile accident that left her hospitalized for several months. Worked with a deaf silversmith; hoped eventually to become a teacher's aide with deaf Navajo children.