I tried to find a deaf interpreter after Churchill Park festival failed to offer one. Here's what I learned

When global superstar Pitbull performed earlier this month at the Churchill Park Music Festival in St. John's, it was an iconic moment for the city.

But not everyone in attendance was able to hear him belt out his hits. 

Reyn Sigurgeirsdóttir is deaf and requires American Sign Language interpretation. She was looking forward to the concert, but learned the day before there wouldn't be an interpreter at the show.

I wanted to interview Sigurgeirsdóttir about her experience, and learn more about what it's like accessing interpreters, but it took over a week to find an interpreter to do the interview. 

While putting this story together, I experienced some of the struggle Sigurgeirsdóttir was living with.

Sigurgeirsdóttir made a Facebook post sharing her concerns about the festival before the concert. When she bought her ticket for Pitbull in June, she said, nearly two months before the concert, she contacted festival organizers to let them know she'd need an interpreter. 

The festival responded that they were working on it. 

The Monday before the festival, she heard they were unable to get an interpreter. 

Sigurgeirsdóttir suggested they reach out to Triangular Communications, a business that contracts professional interpreters and the Newfoundland Association of the Deaf, a non-profit organization that supports the local deaf community and provides interpreters. 

The festival told Sigurgeirsdóttir they were unable to book through Triangular Communications and were working with the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of the Deaf to find another option. 

The day before the festival, Sigurgeirsdóttir was told, again, they were unable to book an interpreter. Organizers suggested she use an FM transmitter system provided by the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association. 

However, Sigurgeirsdóttir has never used the device because she says it wouldn't work with her cochlear implants. 

"This is a human rights violation," she wrote in an email. "I rely on sign language interpreters, not any other hearing assistance technology. Offering another hearing assistance technology is not being inclusive."

The Canadian Hard of Hearing Association told the festival organizer the system does work with cochlear implants, they explained to her.