The Cloud Native Glossary is a project that aims to define cloud native concepts in clear and simple language, making them accessible to anyone without requiring any previous technical knowledge. This project thrives on open contributions from a diverse community of contributors and is currently maintained by Seokho Son, Noah Ispas, Jihoon Seo, Nate W., and Junya Okabe.
You may know we are actively localizing the English version of the Glossary into as many languages as possible. This time, we are especially excited to announce the inclusion of sign language, one of the most unique and important languages. We are thrilled to share this milestone with you. Now, let’s meet the sign language team who made this possible!
Sign Language in the Cloud Native Glossary
In the spirit of making cloud native technologies accessible to more people, the Cloud Native Glossary team is proud to announce a major step forward in inclusivity: the launch of Sign Language videos for key glossary terms. This initiative, inspired and supported by the CNCF Deaf and Hard of Hearing Working Group, is part of a broader commitment to build a more equitable open source ecosystem.
Sign languages are used by over 70 million deaf people worldwide, with more than 300 distinct sign languages in use today. Each sign language has its own unique grammar, structure, and vocabulary, making direct translation from spoken languages a challenge. Despite the rapid growth of cloud native technologies, many technical terms still lack standardized signs, creating barriers for deaf professionals in the field.
Over the past 12 months, the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Working Group with the Glossary team have been working to develop a Sign Language Glossary for cloud native terms. This effort aims to create consistent, accessible signs to help deaf contributors and professionals engage more effectively with cloud native concepts.
Why Sign Language in the Glossary Matters
As technical resources and terms are created, we also need to create signs for them to ensure that Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals can access, understand, and contribute to the evolution of technology. With this project, we aim to not only address that gap but also to raise awareness of how communication accessibility can empower contributors from all backgrounds.
The sign language videos were created in collaboration with deaf technologists from around the world, ensuring that each sign accurately captures both the spirit and technical meaning of cloud native terms. By embracing multiple forms of communication, we make it possible for more people to engage deeply with foundational cloud native concepts and contribute back to the community.
This work aligns closely with the mission of the CNCF Deaf and Hard of Hearing Working Group: to foster inclusive spaces where DHH contributors can thrive, advocate for accessibility in community practices, including supportive allies who want to make a difference.
This initiative creates a safer space for deaf professionals to explore, learn, and grow in a world that’s often unfamiliar. By offering both a standardized reference and accessibility best practices, it not only supports clear communication but also builds trust. When the environment is truly inclusive, it becomes easier to ask questions, seek guidance, and feel supported enough to flourish in the cloud native ecosystem.
At the heart of this work is the desire to break down communication barriers and create space where Deaf folks feel seen, heard, and valued. This isn’t just about translating terms, it’s about building real connections, opening doors, and making cloud native technology a place where more of us can belong.
Challenges and Lessons Learned
The primary languages of the team are American Sign Language (ASL, United States), British Sign Language (BSL, United Kingdom), Ukrainian Sign Language (USL, Ukraine), Colombian Sign Language (LSC – Lengua de Señas Colombiana, Colombia), and Mexican Sign Language (LSM – Lengua de Señas Mexicana, México). We all agreed that we wanted to standardize the signs for Cloud Native terms, drawing inspiration from various sign languages, and not focus on one language. We held monthly discussions on the signs for specific terms and voted on what makes the most sense in how the sign is related to the term.
We meet for an hour each month to discuss signs. We also post a few videos on our Slack channel for people to vote upon. The process itself is long as we need to collaborate on a sign, create a video, and upload it, complying with our style guide.
We created a style guide for contributors who post videos for consistency purposes (https://glossary.cncf.io/style-guide/#sign-language-style-guide). Since we are an international team, we have a strong intent to show the diversity of our signers.
In the end, we created six videos with more to come. We have come into this with an understanding that there may be some signs that people might disagree with, thus we welcome feedback on how to improve upon those signs. The more people involved, the better the product.
Thousand thanks to the Cloud Native Glossary team, especially Seokho and Noah, who helped us many times in our supported us throughout the project!
How to Get Involved
This is only the beginning! We invite you to get involved—whether by joining the DHH Working Group, contributing to future accessibility initiatives, or simply by helping us spread the word. We want to be sure we leverage the diversity of thought, experience, and talent that results from this great initiative.
➡ Learn more about the CNCF DHH Working Group: https://contribute.cncf.io/about/deaf-and-hard-of-hearing/
➡ Watch the Sign Language glossary videos:
➡ Join the conversation on CNCF Slack:
- Sign Language Glossary – #glossary-sign-language
- Deaf and Hard of Hearing Working Group – #deaf-and-hard-of-hearing
Meet the Sign Language Team and Contributors
The following is a list of key contributors to the initial release of the Sign Language feature in the Cloud Native Glossary.
Jay Jackson: Jay is a Senior Software Engineer at CallRevu and a passionate advocate for inclusivity in tech. As a Deaf professional, he is committed to breaking down barriers and empowering others through education and accessibility. He is one of the key leads of the CNCF Sign Language Glossary project and an active member of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Working Group within CNCF.
Destiny O’Connor Destiny is a Web Developer for Women Blessing Women and a facilitator with Deaf Kids Code, where she empowers Deaf youth through creative coding and tech education. She is a Deaf web developer and accessibility advocate, former co-chair of CNCF’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing Working Group, and team lead of the CNCF Sign Language Glossary initiative. Destiny was the first Deaf Black woman keynote speaker at KubeCon + CloudNativeCon North America and is a Google Breaking Barriers awardee.
Travis Johnson: Travis is a deaf Level 3 Engineer at Convo Communications, the largest deaf-owned employer in the U.S., with over a decade of experience in the Video Relay Service (VRS) industry. Passionate about technology and lifelong learning, he’s driven by a curiosity for how things work and a knack for building thoughtful, tech-driven solutions. Travis is also an active contributor to the CNCF Deaf and Hard of Hearing Working Group, where he helps create inclusive pathways into the cloud native and open source ecosystems.
Milad Vafaeifard Milad, a Lead Software Engineer at EPAM Systems, has over 10 years of expertise in web design and development. Deaf but undeterred, he is the creative force behind the Sign Language Tech YouTube channel, focused on tech content for the signing tech community. Deeply committed to creating and fostering deaf tech communities, Milad is an active member of the CNCF Deaf and Hard of Hearing Working Group and Co-Host of Deaf in Cloud Native. Native sign language is Hungarian.
Anastasiia Gubska Anastasiia is the first Deaf CNCF Ambassador and SRE/DevOps Engineer at BT Group, where she drives best practices for software delivery. Driven by her lived experience as a Deaf professional, she raises awareness within the cloud native ecosystem and builds community through initiatives like speaking at KubeCon and ArgoCon, organizing Deaf in Cloud Native meetups, actively contributing to the CNCF Deaf and Hard of Hearing Working Group, and leading Ukraine’s Deaf IT community.
Andrew Davis Andrew is a passionate, self-taught cybersecurity expert and a firm believer in lifelong learning. He has brought his expertise to several Fortune 500 companies, including DELL and Fidelity Investments. As a Deaf professional, Andrew is a strong advocate for digital accessibility and inclusion. He actively contributes to the CNCF Deaf and Hard of Hearing Working Group and serves as an Accessibility Specialist for SXSW, helping to ensure that technology and events are inclusive for all.
Andrés García Andrés is a Deaf software engineer from a second-generation Deaf family in Colombia and a native user of Colombian Sign Language (LSC). With over 15 years in tech, he now focuses on mobile development using Flutter and full-stack development with Vue.js and Node.js. He has experience across industries including education, finance, and healthcare, and works with cloud platforms. An active contributor to open source in the Dart/Flutter ecosystem, Andres is also part of the Sign Language Tech community and the CNCF Deaf and Hard of Hearing Working Group.
Alfonso Balderas Torres Alfonso is the founder of DeafTech, an initiative that supports the Deaf community in their professional development through tech events, programming courses, and conferences. He is also the co-founder of WorldDeafTech, an organization dedicated to hosting technology conferences by and for the Deaf community. With experience as a software engineer at Wizeline, OCCMundial, and CUANDA, Alfonso is known for his proactive mindset, collaborative spirit, and commitment to continuous learning. He believes that being Deaf is not a limitation but a strength, and he is passionate about creating inclusive spaces where innovation and accessibility thrive.