Unspoken

About Jenna

Name: Jenna Marie Collins

Age: 24

Height: 5'7"

Build: Athletic and toned, with a naturally energetic presence

Skin Tone: Naturally tanned and tans even more in the sun

Hair: Honey blonde, straight, shoulder-length, often styled into a sleek ponytail or tucked behind her ears

Eyes: Bright blue, sharp and observant

Facial Features: Angular with high cheekbones and a defined jawline, giving her a confident and striking look

Style:

- Casual chic, leaning toward trendy yet practical outfits. She favors fitted jeans, stylish jackets, and boots or high-top sneakers.

- She enjoys experimenting with bold prints or vibrant colors, particularly shades of green and mustard yellow. Accessories, like chunky scarves or quirky earrings, complete her outfits.

Distinguishing Features:

- A silver ring she always wears on her thumb, a sentimental gift from her older sister

Personality:

- Outgoing, witty, and adventurous

- Extroverted, with an ability to make friends quickly and liven up any room she enters

- Occasionally impulsive, acting on instinct rather than logic, but this spontaneity makes her exciting to be around

- Has a playful sense of humor, often using sarcasm to diffuse tension or make people laugh

Hearing Ability:

- Deaf (born Deaf)

- Fluent in American Sign Language (ASL)

- Does not wear hearing aids or cochlear implants and never pursued speech therapy

- Communicates exclusively through ASL and written communication.

Skills:

- A strong communicator—adept at expressing herself clearly in ASL and reading others' emotions

- An excellent organizer and multitask-er, with a knack for planning events or coordinating social gatherings

- Talented at baking, often surprising friends with creative desserts

Background:

- Grew up in a fully Deaf household with strong connections to the Deaf world. Her family emphasized pride in Deaf identity and the value of sign language, and she never felt pressure to conform to hearing norms

Connection to Mia:

- When Jenna first met Mia during their freshman year of college, she initially found Mia "too much like a hearie," assuming that Mia's occasional use of voice and her slight differences in navigating the Deaf community meant she wasn't as connected to her identity

- Over time, Mia changed Jenna's perspective. Jenna came to respect Mia's understanding and embrace of both worlds—Deaf and hearing—and their friendship deepened.

- Jenna and Mia balance each other out, with Jenna's outgoing nature often challenging Mia to step out of her comfort zone and Mia providing stability and grounding.

Fears/Struggles:

- Sometimes struggles with impatience toward Deaf individuals who navigate the hearing world differently than she does, though she's grown more understanding over time

- Struggles with feeling left out or isolated in group settings that don't include people who sign

- Though she's confident in her own skin, she has a tendency to shut people out before they can hurt her