Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz, the JMS Co-Founder
Written By Jodi Becker Kinner
Published in 2021
Published in 2021
Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz
Minnie Mae (MM) Wilding-Diaz was born to Deaf parents, Jerry Willing and Caldonia Della Williams. She is the oldest of nine Deaf siblings in the well-known Deaf Wilding family. She is married to Julio Diaz and the parent of three grown Deaf children, Briella, Julio “Tres” and Isabelle. MM has a strong passion for literacy and ASL linguistics and has contributed her skills and knowledge throughout her career, including teaching in various postsecondary institutions, founding the Jean Massieu School of the Deaf, UVU's Deaf Studies Today! Conference, and translating The Book of Mormon, among other accomplishments.
As a graduate student at Brigham Young University, MM penned two papers titled "Why the Deaf Can't Read: Answers and Solutions" and "Exciting Developments in Deaf Education." The links to her articles can be found below. Bronwyn O'Hara is to be commended for keeping her papers safe for so long.
As a graduate student at Brigham Young University, MM penned two papers titled "Why the Deaf Can't Read: Answers and Solutions" and "Exciting Developments in Deaf Education." The links to her articles can be found below. Bronwyn O'Hara is to be commended for keeping her papers safe for so long.
- Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz. Why the Deaf Can’t Read: Answers and Solutions. Brigham Young University. May 8, 1990.
- Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz. Exciting Developments in Deaf Education. Summer 1990.
The Wilding Family. Top (L-R): Minnie Mae, Doris, Lisa Lili, Cami and Ida. Bottom (L-R): Alan, Don, Della, Jerry, Terry and Sammy, 2011
Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz teaching class
The author's website, Jodi Becker Kinner, observed Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz struggling to balance leading the Jean Massieu School of the Deaf (JMS) while parenting three small Deaf children and working full-time, and how her health worsened. Despite her failing health, she continued to lead with dedication and commitment. She also ensured that JMS remained running until the 2005 merger of the Utah School for the Deaf and the Jean Massieu School of the Deaf. The establishment of JMS was a challenging task. It took a long time to plan and much thought to get here.
Granted, Minnie Mae wrote a paper titled "Exciting Developments in Deaf Education" in 1990, expressing her delight at the decision of the Indiana School for the Deaf to embrace a bilingual-bicultural approach. It is no surprise that she would one day become a co-founder of JMS. JMS has been in operation since 1999, thanks to the persistence and dedicated leadership of Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz.
More information can be found in Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz' biography.
Jodi Becker Kinner
Granted, Minnie Mae wrote a paper titled "Exciting Developments in Deaf Education" in 1990, expressing her delight at the decision of the Indiana School for the Deaf to embrace a bilingual-bicultural approach. It is no surprise that she would one day become a co-founder of JMS. JMS has been in operation since 1999, thanks to the persistence and dedicated leadership of Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz.
More information can be found in Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz' biography.
Jodi Becker Kinner
Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz' Family. Front Row L-R: Julio Diaz, Jr., Minnie Mae, Isabelle, Briella. Back Row: Tres, 2012