Background
Christy Smith was born premature, weighing less than 2 pounds (091 kg).
founder of Discovering Deaf Worlds
Christy Smith was born premature, weighing less than 2 pounds (091 kg).
Smith attended high school and college in Washington, District of Columbia
As a baby, she pulled out her air tube and ended up losing 90 percent of her hearing. As such, she is skilled in lip reading and American Sign Language. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology with a minor in criminology from Gallaudet University in 2000.
After graduating from Gallaudet, she worked at Aspen Camp School for the Deaf as a guide.
After competing on Survivor, Smith created "Christy"s Kids: Challenge Yourself," a television show that debuted on Rocky Mountain Public Broadcasting Service on April 2005. In January 2007, Smith co-founded Discovering Deaf Worlds, an organization which uses world travel to increase deafness awareness.
Smith is the first deaf contestant to appear on the Columbia Broadcasting System reality television series Survivor. As a contestant on, Smith shocked her tribe members on the first day when she announced her disability.
She competed on Survivor to bring awareness of deaf culture and in the hope of bringing home the prize money.
On day 33 of the show, Smith was voted out in a 4-2 decision by Jenna Morasca, Heidi Strobel, Matthew von Ertfelda, and Rob Cesternino.