Hello! My name is Michael Honkanen.
My brother is Deaf, my family signs, and ASL has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.
I’m the creator of Able Lingo and the ASL Bundle For Beginners.
My mission is to give you a guided path from overwhelmed beginner to confident, real-world ASL conversations.
On this page, I answer the following questions:
• What is my connection to the Deaf community?
• How did I learn to sign and with whom?
• What is my name sign and how did I get it?
• What is my education and professional experience?
• Why do I create ASL content?
• What’s my current life like?
Interesting ASL Stories
• After I answer the questions, I have a collection of random stories describing some interesting moments in my sign language journey.
Deaf Connection
My connection to the Deaf community is simple: my brother is Deaf, my whole family signs, and I grew up in and around the Deaf community. ASL has been part of my daily life for as long as I can remember.
From family gatherings to church and community events, I spent years signing, learning, and communicating with Deaf friends, family members, and community members.
Image: Michael (hearing) and his brother (Deaf) signing in their awesome treehouse while growing up in northern Minnesota.
Learning To Sign
I learned ASL by growing up with my Deaf brother who is 2 years younger than me. After he lost his hearing as a baby, my family fully embraced sign language and became active in the Deaf community. My mother encouraged all of us to learn and use ASL every day, both at home and in the community.
Over the years, I used ASL with family, friends, church members, and throughout my professional career. ASL has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to share it with others.
Images: Michael and family throughout the years.
My Name Sign
Name signs are an important part of Deaf culture and are unique to individuals. They are often connected to a person’s personality, life experiences, family history, or community.
In this video, I share the name signs used by my family and explain how I received my own name sign as a young child.
Professional Background
I earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Criminal Justice from St. Cloud State University and a master’s degree in Spanish from American University in Washington, D.C.
Professionally, I worked as a police officer with the Arlington County Police Department in Virginia and later as a federal investigator with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in Chicago. Throughout my career, I regularly used ASL in professional settings, gaining valuable experience communicating in a wide range of real-world situations.
Images: (top) Michael’s degrees and professional experience. (bottom) Various pics of Michael with supervisors and co-workers at the Arlington County Police Department.
Why I Create ASL Content
I create ASL courses and content because I genuinely enjoy it. ASL has been a huge part of my journey growing up, and creating courses allows me to share those skills and experiences with others.
My goal is to make learning simple, straightforward, and accessible so students can learn step by step and gain real value from what they’re learning.
My Current Life
I spend much of my time creating ASL courses, educational content, books, and resources designed to help people learn and practice sign language.
My wife, daughter, and I also live a location-independent lifestyle that allows us to travel while working online. We enjoy exploring new places, experiencing different cultures, and using travel as part of our family’s ongoing learning journey.
Random ASL Story – The Bear
Growing up in northern Minnesota, I had plenty of memorable experiences. In this video, I share one story from my childhood involving my Deaf brother, my mom, and an unexpected wildlife encounter that quickly turned an ordinary day into an unforgettable one.
Random ASL Story – Hearing Aids
In this video, I share a childhood memory involving my Deaf brother, hearing aids, and some of the challenges our family experienced as we navigated life after he became Deaf.
Random ASL Story – Russian Lady
While traveling in Malaysia, I had an unexpected encounter with a woman who was signing. Naturally, I was excited to start a conversation, but I quickly discovered that we did not share the same sign language.
In this video, I share that memorable experience and how it reinforced an important lesson about the diversity of sign languages around the world.
Random ASL Story – Visual Ability
My Deaf brother and I spent much of our childhood exploring the woods, lakes, and forests of northern Minnesota. During those adventures, I often noticed his ability to spot details and changes in the environment long before I did.
In this video, I share a memory from those years and reflect on the visual awareness that continually impressed me growing up.
Random ASL Story – Deaf Arrest
In this video, I share a memorable experience from my time as a police officer in Arlington County, Virginia. What began as a routine early-morning call quickly turned into an unusual situation that highlighted both the challenges and opportunities of communicating with Deaf individuals in law enforcement.
Random ASL Story – Mile A Minute
As a police officer, I often saw people at some of the most difficult moments of their lives. In this video, I reflect on an experience that reminded me how much Deaf and hearing people have in common—especially when emotions run high and they simply want to be heard and understood.