The Apple CEO was speaking at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC, the nation’s leading university for the deaf in the United States.
Tim Cook giving a speech at Gallaudet University for the Deaf
Speeches by Apple presidents at American universities, like Steve Jobs in the past or Tim Cook now, are a regular occurrence. Tim Cook’s speech, which lasted several minutes, was something special because he was from a well-known American university for the deaf, which had partnered closely with Apple TV+ in the preparation and filming of the Academy Award-winning film “CODA.” .
With a sign language interpreter
Cook’s words are transmitted synchronously by a sign language interpreter. He praised the work at the university and the collaboration on the filming of the film “CODA” and especially the 2022 graduates, which was not easy due to the Corona pandemic that started in the spring of 2020. Cook also refers to the fact that Apple is very interested in developing its own products to be as barrier-free as possible.
He begins his speech in the YouTube video at around 1:56, hugging Academy Award-winning deaf actress Marley Matlin, who also had a major role in the movie “Coda.” Immediately before Tim Cook, she made her contribution to sign language, which in turn is simultaneously translated into spoken speech. She especially praises the collaboration with Apple and Tim Cook’s commitment to this movie, which doesn’t fit into any Hollywood megaplot and yet won an Oscar.
Tim Cook, who spent much of the three-plus-hour event sitting in the background wearing a mask, also asks about the deeper meaning of life for alumni, saying that Apple-developed products like the iPhone or AI, they are fine, but “no iPhone function saves”. In the end, it’s about finding your values, sticking to them, and living by them. Cook also briefly talks about his coming out as gay. The audience of young students does not react much with applause, but with applause and waving hands. The video with English subtitles can be found here: