Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz,
JMS Co-Founder
Written By Jodi Becker Kinner
Published in 2021
Updated in 2024
Published in 2021
Updated in 2024
Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz, also known as MM, is a highly respected figure in the Deaf community. She is the spouse of Julio Diaz, who is also Deaf, and a proud parent of three grown Deaf children - Briella, Julio "Tres," and Isabelle. Minnie Mae was born into a Deaf family, and her parents, Jerry Willing and Caldonia Della Williams played a significant role in shaping her appreciation of Deaf culture and literacy. Throughout her career, Minnie Mae has shared her knowledge and skills in ASL linguistics by teaching at various postsecondary institutions. She also co-founded the Jean Massieu School of the Deaf and UVU's Deaf Studies Today! Conference. In addition to her many accomplishments, Minnie Mae has also translated The Book of Mormon into ASL.
During her graduate studies at Brigham Young University, Minnie Mae wrote two impactful papers titled "Why the Deaf Can't Read: Answers and Solutions" and "Exciting Developments in Deaf Education." These papers have been instrumental in shaping the discourse around Deaf education. We appreciate Bronwyn O'Hara, a parent of three Deaf children and a Deaf education advocate, for her dedication to preserving these invaluable research papers.
- 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.
See the following photos of
Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz and her family below:
Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz and her family below:
As a parent of Deaf children, I have worked with Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz, advocating for deaf education where I have witnessed her struggle to balance leading the Jean Massieu School of the Deaf (JMS) with parenting three small deaf children, working full-time, and dealing with her deteriorating health. Despite her declining health, she continued to lead with passion and commitment. She also played a vital role in merging the Utah School for the Deaf and the Jean Massieu School of the Deaf in 2005. The establishment of JMS was a challenging and exhausting process that required a lot of time and careful consideration.
The impact of Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz's work is evident in the lives of Deaf and hard of hearing children who now have the option to attend the Jean Massieu School of the Deaf. Here, they can experience direct communication and instruction in ASL from their teachers and peers, a landmark development that was made possible by her tireless dedication to the Deaf community.
In 1990, Minnie Mae wrote a paper titled "Exciting Developments in Deaf Education," expressing her delight at the Indiana School for the Deaf's decision to embrace a Bilingual-Bicultural approach. It is no surprise that she would one day become a co-founder of the Jean Massieu School of the Deaf. Thanks to Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz's persistence and dedicated leadership, JMS has been in operation since 1999. It was a great privilege to work with her and her spouse, Julio, as we navigated the challenges and complications of deaf education in Utah. I also appreciate that she served as my mentor when I was learning the political ropes.
Thank you, Minnie Mae!
Jodi Becker Kinner
The impact of Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz's work is evident in the lives of Deaf and hard of hearing children who now have the option to attend the Jean Massieu School of the Deaf. Here, they can experience direct communication and instruction in ASL from their teachers and peers, a landmark development that was made possible by her tireless dedication to the Deaf community.
In 1990, Minnie Mae wrote a paper titled "Exciting Developments in Deaf Education," expressing her delight at the Indiana School for the Deaf's decision to embrace a Bilingual-Bicultural approach. It is no surprise that she would one day become a co-founder of the Jean Massieu School of the Deaf. Thanks to Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz's persistence and dedicated leadership, JMS has been in operation since 1999. It was a great privilege to work with her and her spouse, Julio, as we navigated the challenges and complications of deaf education in Utah. I also appreciate that she served as my mentor when I was learning the political ropes.
Thank you, Minnie Mae!
Jodi Becker Kinner