Deaf activist Nyle DiMarco visited campus as part of the UNT Distinguished Lecture Series to meet with students and tell his story and life experiences as a deaf public figure.

DiMarco, winner of Dancing with the Stars and America’s Next Top Model, empowers audiences to believe they can do and be anything they want in life, no matter the obstacle. Born into a multigenerational deaf family, he is an honorary spokesperson for Language Equality and Acquisition for Deaf Kids (LEAD-K) and founder of the Nyle DiMarco Foundation, which works to improve the lives of deaf people around the world. Nyle has produced the 2018 return to Broadway of "Children of a Lesser God," starring Joshua Jackson and Lauren Ridloff. Nyle was also a creative collaborator on The ASL App, created by native deaf signers to teach conversational American Sign Language. Nyle's debut book, Deaf Utopia: A Memoir and a Love Letter to a Way of Life (April 2022), tells of his upbringing and how it was utopian in that he was born into a fourth-generation deaf family. DiMarco was an executive producer on Netflix's Oscar-nominated short documentary, (2021).

With a passion for language, literacy and advocacy within the deaf community and beyond, Nyle shares his barrier-breaking story as a deaf man who has risen above stereotypes to take the world by storm. Believing that his deafness is “an asset rather than a limitation,” he builds a bridge between the deaf and hearing by shining a light on not only the struggles, but also the triumphs of the deaf culture. Above all, Nyle shows audiences that with a sense of community, commitment to your goals, and belief in yourself, you can accomplish anything.

The Distinguished Lecture Series brings noted speakers to campus each year to provide the UNT community with different perspectives and topics of thought. From businessmen and scientists to political figures and celebrities, each event is unique and designed to inform and entertain.