Dorothy "Dot" Miles (née Squire; 19 August 1931 - 30 January 1993) was a Welsh poet and activist in the Deaf community.
In 1957, aged 25, she went to the United States to take up a place at Gallaudet College, sponsored in part by the British Deaf and Dumb Association.
[4] First a wardrobe mistress, she first acted with NTD in 1968 in their production of Dylan Thomas's Under Milk Wood, whose script she also helped to translate.
[5] Miles graduated from Connecticut College with a master's degree in 1974; her thesis was titled "A History of Theatre Activities in the Deaf Community of the U.S.".
[6] In 1975, Miles left the NTD to work with the campus service for the deaf at California State University, Northridge.
She compiled the first teaching manual for BSL tutors and became involved in setting up the Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People (CACDP).
[7] For a while she worked as a self-employed writer, lecturer and performer, becoming involved in promotion of sign language teaching and training of tutors and deaf theatre.
They spend many hours working in the community, in Schools, Scout troops, Brownies and all other youth groups, so that all youngsters can see BSL in action, in real life and interact with Deaf people.
[citation needed] In April 2024 a Purple Plaque (celebrating Remarkable Women in Wales) was unveiled outside Miles's childhood home, 27 Westbourne Avenue, Rhyl by her niece, Liz Deverill.
[11][12] On 19 August 2024, the 93rd anniversary of her birth, Miles was honoured with a Google Doodle created by Deaf artist Youmee Lee.