Hands United’s mission is to help decrease the prevalence of language deprivation among Deaf and hard-of-hearing children in immigrant families. We recognize that language and cultural barriers represent a large portion of the reason that immigrant families are unable to communicate with their Deaf and hard-of-hearing children.
To that end, we wish to empower immigrant families with Deaf and hard-of-hearing children by providing comprehensive support through American Sign Language classes in their native language, offering enrichment classes such as how to transition from high school to college and how to use technology, and facilitating access to resources. We strive to foster lifelong inclusivity within the Deaf community by promoting the expansion of sign language proficiency among diverse populations to support increased independence and self determination for diverse Deaf populations.
Global Deaf Research Institute
The Global Deaf Research Institute is a research organization led by deaf scientists, founded in response to a widespread lack of data on deaf populations. We believe that publishing data documenting deaf peoples’ lived experiences is a powerful way to improve their quality of life. GDRI’s flagship, the Deaf Community Research initiative, is a community-led research and advocacy project. In each deployment, we engage profoundly with the local deaf community and, with their guidance, perform a national needs assessment survey. We synthesize our findings to identify significant gaps in services and develop evidence-based recommendations tailored to the community's needs. We create training modules for local educators and deaf leaders emphasizing inclusive teaching practices and data-based advocacy, and build collective power for the deaf community not only by arming them with research, but by creating a network of deaf researchers and advocates that grows with each country we visit.
The Zanzka Project is dedicated to supporting Deaf artists and creatives across all disciplines by creating opportunities to showcase their work, engage with the community, collaborate with other artists and creatives, and providing educational opportunities to elevate their works.
National Center on Deaf Advocacy
Our mission is to advocate for the self-autonomy of deaf people at the local, state and national levels
* To support language acquisition and development for deaf children and their families;
* To eradicate audism and promote signed language equity;
* To ensure that deaf people are included in decision making processes concerning their lives; and
* To collaborate with organizations and individuals to support the advancement of deaf people
We are a North American Indigenous group who works collaboratively to provide services and advocacy for Indigenous Deaf and DeafBlind people.
Our goals are to exchange our tribal cultures and our Indigenous Deaf and DeafBlind Cultures. Our group functions by consensus agreement and aims to provide an international understanding of our communal needs.
Our primary purpose: enrolled/status tribal members working together to develop educational materials, references, and academic accreditation through our Indigenous lenses. Through invitation, we will welcome non-indigenous people to join our group, to work closely with our Indigenous people as helper-solidarity.
Hands United (Manos Unidas)
We work with immigrant populations with Deaf and hard of hearing children. We provide many services such as ASL classes in spoken Spanish, workshops on a variety of topics including IEPs, college transition and using drawing to communicate. We also help families connect to other services like DVR, health insurance, immigration lawyers, video phones and schools. All of our events and classes are free to families. We also offer services for translation with any combination of English, Spanish, and ASL.
Founded in 2018 by Dr. Alicia Wooten and Dr. Barbara Spiecker, Atomic Hands addresses the unique challenges deaf STEMists face, such as English-centric learning and inaccessible, auditory-centered science resources.
With multiple ASL resources available, including STEM videos, storybooks, dictionaries, and a Deaf STEMist Network, Atomic Hands aims to foster wonder and curiosity in STEM fields through ASL-centric resources. In addition to online resources and social media education, Atomic Hands offers custom and personalized services that include, but are not limited to, translation, training, consultation, workshops, and resource development.
Symbolized by its name, Atomic Hands integrates the fundamental principles of STEM with the expressive power of sign language, aiming to bridge these two worlds and promote an inclusive, dynamic exchange of STEM ideas. Learn more at atomichands.com.
DeafHope is a culturally specific, Deaf-led community-based organization that provides services to Deaf survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, family violence, and system violence. We provide advocacy, peer counseling, virtual support group, healing spaces, as well as accompaniment to court hearings, hospital visits, interviews with law enforcement, and meetings with Child Protective Services. Our local services are in the San Francisco Bay Area. Our virtual peer counseling, support group, and advocacy services are available to survivors nationwide. We have a deep commitment to developing community-based resources outside of systems that have historically replicated dominance and reinforced harm to marginalized communities such as Deaf, DeafDisabled, DeafBlind, hard of hearing, late deafened, BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, language deprived, immigrants, refugees, unhoused individuals, as well as community members who have experienced mental health issues and folks who have experienced challenges with substance use and addiction.