NEW YORK, Jan. 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and PepsiCo announced today that actress Treshelle Edmond has been selected to bring the beauty of American Sign Language (ASL) to one of the most popular sports and entertainment events of the year – Super Bowl Sunday.

Earlier today the National Football League and NBC announced that Edmond will be joining Tony award-winning actress and singer Idina Menzel in performing the National Anthem and platinum-selling singer-songwriter John Legend in performing "America the Beautiful" during the Super Bowl XLIX pregame festivities at University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona.

"Few things bring Americans together like the Super Bowl," said NAD CEO Howard A. Rosenblum. "No matter what team we are rooting for, we gather together to share the excitement of the game, the humor of the ads and the passion of the performances that are all such an integral part of Super Bowl Sunday. With ASL as part of the pregame festivities, the NFL and NBC ensure that all Americans including those who are deaf and hard of hearing can enjoy the Super Bowl experience equally."

PepsiCo's sponsorship of Treshelle Edmond as the ASL artist at Super Bowl XLIX is the latest effort in an on-going partnership with the NAD to advance awareness of ASL and promote inclusivity in media and pop culture.

About the National Association of the Deaf

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) is the nation's premier civil rights organization of, by and for deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States of America. Established in 1880, the NAD was shaped by deaf leaders who believed in the right of the American deaf community to use sign language, to congregate on issues important to them, and to have its interests represented at the national level. These beliefs remain true to this day, with American Sign Language as a core value.

The advocacy scope of the NAD is broad, covering a lifetime and impacting future generations in the areas of early intervention, education, employment, health care, technology, telecommunications, youth leadership, and more – improving the lives of millions of deaf and hard of hearing Americans. The NAD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported by the generosity of individual and organizational donors, including corporations and foundations. www.nad.org

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $66 billion in net revenue in 2013, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth in shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com. 

About Treshelle Edmond

Treshelle Edmond is a deaf actress who has guest starred in two television shows: House, M.D. and Glee. She also had a prominent role in a successful Deaf West Theater production of Spring Awakening. Born in San Bernardino, California, she attended school in Birmingham, Alabama and in Los Angeles, California where she was an All Star and All American Cheerleader. As a member of the All Star cheerleading team, Treshelle cheered in the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. She regularly does community service with various organizations like the Foundation for Junior Blind and the Zuma Beach clean up program. She has received awards from the City of Los Angeles for her dedication to the DEAFestival-Los Angeles and her contributions to the deaf and hard of hearing community.

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SOURCE PepsiCo