Steve Slevinski has worked with Valerie Sutton for 14 years to develop SignWriting standards and tools to ensure SignWriting is useful far into the future. He is seeking monthly donations through Patreon to continue his work maintaining and developing SignWriting resources to support the over 80 sign languages currently written with SignWriting. Donations will support Steve's living expenses and work, as well as the non-profit Center for Sutton Movement Writing which promotes SignWriting.

1. For the Future of Sutton SignWriting
by Steve Slevinski
http://SteveSlevinski.me

2. Steve Slevinski
slevinski@signwriting.org
Hi, I’m Steve!
I love working with SignWriting.
14 years ago, I started a collaboration with
Valerie Sutton, the inventor of SignWriting.
Together, we created the Sutton SignWriting
Standards of 2010, 2012, and 2017. These
standards will be useful far into the future.

3. I am the encoder of
Sutton SignWriting
A hundred years from now, properly encoded Sutton
SignWriting text will still be legible.
sign language user
friend of the deaf
SignWriting Evangelist
ase-US-Sgnw
2010, 2012, 2017

4. Sign languages are
human languages
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg5oKIpArmE

5. Sign languages are
written with SignWriting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ7ErF4z9EM

6. Around the world, over 140
sign languages have been identified
Brazil ISO 3166-1 Two letter country codes BR
Brazilian Sign Language ISO 639-3 Three letter language codes bzs

7. 80 sign languages are
written with SignWriting
Sutton SignWriting ISO 15924 Four letter script code Sgnw

8. The 10 largest dictionaries
have over 4,600 signs each
https://www.ethnologue.com/browse/codes

9. SignWriting in Brazil
http://signwriting.org/brazil
http://tvines.ines.gov.br/?p=16704
The History of SignWriting in Brazil on TV INES.

10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Sutton
1966 Valerie Sutton invents
DanceWriting
1974 Valerie Sutton invents
SignWriting
The Beginning
From the beginning, Valerie
Sutton has encouraged writers of
every sign language.
http://valeriesutton.com/

11. The Center for Sutton Movement Writing
1974 The Center for Sutton Movement Writing is founded
1976 The CSMW becomes California Tax-Exempt
1978 The CSMW becomes US Federal Tax-Exempt
2004 Steve Slevinski hired as consultant
2018 Loss of major funding source
2019 Funding deficit of $2,000 a month
a 501c3 educational non-profit
95-3068257
SignWriting is free to use

12. Before I was Involved
1974 - 1986 SignWriting is written exclusively by hand
1981 - 1984 Publishing efforts with stencils and wax transfers
1986 - 1995 Computer encoding with keyboarding
2002 Advanced sorting with printed dictionaries

13. My Influence on SignWriting
I recreated the digital encoding of SignWriting text
using standard technologies for better processing.
I brought a mathematical model to SignWriting,
based on Valerie Sutton’s design and historical use.
Since 2004, I have released free tools and
resources to help SignWriting spread.
I plan to continue with new developments; releasing
betters tools and documentation for SignWriting.

14. I am the Website Administrator
SignPuddle Online
All are welcome.
My patrons will be given preferential treatment.
SignMaker Dictionaries

15. My History with SignWriting
2004 Steve Slevinski collaborates with Valerie Sutton
2004 Drag-and-drop user interface
2006 ISO 15924 Script Code Sgnw
2010 International SignWriting Alphabet 2010 (ISWA 2010)
2012 Formal SignWriting in ASCII (FSW)
2015 Sutton SignWriting Block added to Unicode Standard
2017 SignWriting in Unicode (SWU)
2019 Funding goal of $2,000 a month

16. Project of note
The American Sign Language Wikipedia
The ASL Wikipedia has
over 50 articles.
https://incubator.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wp/ase
A long term project that will
benefit every sign language
http://www.signwriting.org/encyclopedia/

17. Project of note
The SignTyp project and linguistic coding system
20,000 videos from 25 countries.
http://signtyp.uconn.edu/
SignWriting conversion to SignTyp
linguistic coding system.
So far, 8,000 full transcriptions with SignWriting.
Organized sets for analysis.

18. Future Plans
More collaborations.
Better websites.
Standardized dictionaries.
Extensive literature.
Additional fonts.
Easier writing.

19. I am building relationships
on Patreon to support my work
and the work of others.
Steve Slevinski
https://www.patreon.com/signwriting
I am committed to
the future of SignWriting.
Patreon will allow me to continue
to work with Valerie Sutton
far into the future.

20. SignWriting Free
I support free culture and
the creation of free culture works.
Everyone is free to use SignWriting.
You do not need to be my patron
to benefit from my work.
$0 a month

21. SignWriting Team
With enough of a team,
$1 per month will let me continue my work.
Stand up and be counted
by adding your voice to mine.
Every team member expands
the SignWriting platform.
$1 a month or more

22. SignWriting Partners
Make a statement that your sign language is
valuable and that it is written with SignWriting.
If you believe in SignWriting and support my work,
become my partner with a larger monthly donation.
SignWriting Partners are given insider information,
special access, and preferential treatment.
$10 a month or more

23. SignWriting Representatives
Open to individuals, groups, businesses,
schools, universities, and government agencies.
Stand up and be counted as a promoter and
authority for your sign language.
SignWriting Representatives are given greater
power, authority, and recognition. They help spread
and shape the writing of their sign language.
$100 a month or more

24. SignWriting Founder
SignWriting Founders make a serious statement
that sign languages are written languages and
that SignWriting will thrive into the future.
Ensure the future of SignWriting with
Valerie Sutton and Steve Slevinski.
$1,000 a month or more
SignWriting Founders are given the
greatest amount of access and influence.

25. SignWriting Sponsors
SignWriting sponsors donate in the name of a
group or individual for a particular sign language.
Some groups and individuals can not afford
monthly fees, but they are worthy of the benefits.
any level monthly donation is appreciated
With over 80 active sign languages around the world,
there is a great need for sponsorship in SignWriting.

26. The Campaign for 2019 and beyond
Initial goal of
$2,000 a month
https://www.patreon.com/signwriting
Become a patron of Steve

27. Monthly Donations
The income I derive from Patreon will support
me and my work with SignWriting.
Living expenses
Hardware
Software
Travel
Conferences
Consultants
Fellow Patreons
https://www.patreon.com/signwriting

28. Fellow SignWriters
Do you teach, write, research, or use SignWriting?
Create your own Patreon page to support your work.
https://www.patreon.com
I pledge to become a patron and
promoter of all sign writers on Patreon.

29. Donating to the non-profit
The Center for Sutton Movement Writing is
tax-exempt for California and for US Federal
Book donations
Educational material
Teaching and instruction
Resources and websites
Non-profit administration
Legal documents and taxes
Donations will help with the work of the non-profit:
http://signwriting.org/donate/
http://movementwriting.org/csmw/

30. Steve Slevinski
slevinski@signwriting.org
For the Future of
Sutton SignWriting
Let’s secure the future.
Become a patron
of SignWriting today.
June 2018
Revision 1
http://SteveSlevinski.me