The University of Alberta invites the community to attend the 2025 Jones Memorial Lecture, featuring Wissam Constantin presenting “From Deaf Shame to Deaf Same.”
Event Details
Date: Thursday, October 30, 2025
Lecture and Q&A: 7:00 p.m.
Reception: 8:00 p.m. (light refreshments provided)
Location: Room 2-115, Education North (second floor), University of Alberta
113 Street and 87 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta
Accessibility: Elevator access available
Free admission — all are welcome.
About the Speaker
Wissam Constantin has been a well-known leader in the Deaf community since moving to Canada in 2017. He currently serves on the Board of Directors at Accessibility Standards Canada and works as Manager of Customer Service and Outreach at the Canadian Administrator of Video Relay Services (CAV).
A passionate advocate for Deaf rights and accessibility, Wissam has dedicated his work to improving the quality of life for Deaf individuals, especially those who use sign language as their primary language. His leadership experience includes serving as President, Vice-President, and Project Director for the Canadian Association of the Deaf (CAD). He has participated in federal consultations on accessibility policy and was involved in the ASL–LSQ legal recognition initiative in Canada (2018–2019).
Wissam earned a B.A. in Political Science with a focus on Canadian Politics and Public Policy, and a minor in Law from Carleton University.
About the Jones Memorial Lecture Series
The Jones Memorial Lecture Series was established in 1988 by Pat Eidem in memory of her parents, James and Jesse Patterson Jones. Both were alumni of the University of Alberta and active members of the Alberta community—Mr. Jones in law and politics, and Mrs. Jones in education and women’s issues. After Mr. Jones became deaf later in life, his daughter endowed the lecture series in their honor.
Registration and Access
Attending in person? Register here.
Attending online? Register for the livestream here.
Unable to attend? Visit the WCCDS website to watch the recording and explore past lectures, research, and resources.
ASL video available here.
Directions and Parking
Click on image to enlarge
Parking: Education Car Park, located at 114 Street and 87 Avenue ($7 after 4:30 p.m.)
Transit: Debark at University Station.