Marlee Matlin headlines SJV Town Hall speaker series

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin made a stop in Fresno as part of the San Joaquin Valley Town Hall speaker series.

She spoke about her life, her activism work, and breaking barriers in Hollywood including being the first network television director who is Deaf.

"The feisty pollster on the "West Wing," the tennis lineswoman and lip reader on "Seinfeld," the mother from "Switched at Birth," mentioned Academy Award-winning Actress Marlee Matlin

From those break-out roles to more recent award-winning projects like the film Coda, Marlee Matlin spoke to a crowd full of people at the William Saroyan Theatre on Wednesday

Sharing some of the struggles she has faced in the film industry and what helped her become the success she is today.

"My family's determination to include me rather than segregate me was so strong that they encouraged me to dream big with no limits to my imagination," said Matlin.

Fans inspired by Marlee were able to ask questions and were even able to gift her a painting on stage.

"I wanted to congratulate her on all her hard work she's done, she's done so much in her career so I wanted to give her this as, showing her that I'm proud and that I am proud to be a part of this community," said Chance Jones, Sophomore at Washington Union High School.

And fans learning that Marlee's husband grew up in the Central Valley made the interaction that much more special.

"I was shocked when I found out she has ties to Fresno, her husband from here, he grew up here, what," exclaimed Jones.

"Seeing Marlee Matlin in person meant more to me I think than I eternally realized," said Sarah Pullen-Harris, Theatre Teacher at Central East High School.

Growing up Deaf Sarah has had to depend on lip reading and other forms of communication,

She says her students help make the challenges in life less stressful.

"These guys are why I show up to work every day and I think today they got to live a little bit in my world maybe and see what it's like that I'm experiencing every day, because I live in their world most of the time," added Pullen Harris.

One of her big takeaways from the event was courage plus dreams equal success and she had everyone sign it all together definitely an impactful experience.

For more information on the Town Hall lecture series and future guests, click here.

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