“The human spirit is one of ability, perseverance and courage that

no disability can steal away. “

Anna Kristina Arce is the living proof of this statement. She was born with
deafness which and grow up as she was born by her mother who struggle to make Ana
hear and speak but to no avail, her parents failed to make her speak which led to her
being enrolled in a deaf school to avoid discrimination. She graduated as a valedictorian.
Years later, she went to normal school to pursue her college education. But
because of her not so pleasant experiences studying in a normal college, her parents
decided to enrol her at De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB)’s School of
Deaf Education and Applied Studies or SDEAS. Ana was enrolled in the Bachelor in
Applied Deaf Studies major in Multimedia Arts,wherein she graduated a Magna Cum
Laude, wherein she now works as an artist at De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde
(DLS-CSB)’s Marketing and Communications department and an active advocator or
Deaf Advocacy program of De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) that
encourage deaf Filipinos to pursue college or to pursue education despite of their
physical disability and should not mind what the hearing people will see at them.

Communication with our hands should not make a difference..We are not different
breeds because of our disability.We also want to live in a society where people will not
stare or frown at us or treat us differently…”, Anna said. Physical disabilities and
deformities are not hindrances to success. She proved that if she can achieve her goals
despite her limitations, then we can achieve our goals too.