Background
Sophie was born to world acclaimed ballet dancers Li Cunxin AO and Mary Li (née McKendry). Li Cunxin AO is also the author of the bestseller, Mao's Last Dancer, and Mary Li wrote about her childhood, ballet and the sudden diagnosis of having a baby Sophie being deaf in Mary's Last Dance.
It wasn't until Sophie was 18 months old that her famous parents discovered that Sophie was profoundly deaf. Heartbroken, heavy with grief and utterly lost, her mother made the ultimate sacrifice: to give up her passion for dance, to help Sophie to hear and speak. The journey from music to silence, to learn to sign or not sign? Will Sophie have a good life? So many questions with so few answers.
Today, Sophie opens up about her struggles growing up deaf in a hearing world, the resilience she built through experiencing life's challenges, balancing the many conflicting cultures and languages, and how at the age of 23, discovering Auslan (Australian sign language) and the deaf community has led her to become an empowered deaf woman who is confident about her future in spite of the challenges she faces daily.
Today
Sophie is a multifaceted entrepreneur, focusing on two main areas currently.
As a qualified Trainer & Assessor, she offers comprehensive mentoring, Auslan/English translation, tutoring services for deaf and hard of hearing people, and engaging presentations on Deafness Awareness Training. Her extensive knowledge, lived-in experience, and profound insights, coupled with her deep understanding of the deaf experience, make her a compelling presenter who captivates audiences and enriches their understanding of deafness. Sophie is frequently requested to return for further opportunities, a testament to her ability to deeply engage and educate.
Sophie also offers unique perspective in her speeches (in spoken English or signed Auslan) sharing stories of challenges, resilience and embracing conflicting identities and experiences: Australian, Chinese, deaf and hard of hearing.
In addition to her work in building a sign language resource tool, Sophie is also the visionary co-founder and CEO of SignHow. The website is a world-first pioneering national initiative aimed at empowering Deaf communities across Australia. As the driving force behind SignHow, Sophie leads a dedicated team in revolutionising full language access through a comprehensive sign language dictionary resource. This transformative platform is designed to facilitate communication, education, and employment opportunities for Deaf individuals and their connecting networks in family, social, education and employment.
With unwavering commitment, Sophie navigates the intersection of entrepreneurship and social impact, leveraging her expertise to create meaningful change for deaf and hard of hearing people, their families and networks. Through her dual roles, she continues to champion inclusivity, striving to ensure that every individual has the resources and support they need to thrive.
