Newsletter

In June, GDRI represented deaf communities at the United Nations CRPD sessions, raised $29,000 at its Fire Island Pines fundraiser, presented research at the Deaf Interpreter Conference (DIC5) at CSUN, and published a peer-reviewed study on deaf Ecuadorians' quality of life in the European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education. The findings link deaf Ecuadorians' wellbeing to systemic barriers in education, employment, and interpreter access rather than to deafness itself, underscoring the need for policy and investment to address them.

In May, Global Deaf Research Institute achieved Platinum Transparency status from Candid and secured a $20,000 grant from the Deaf Organizations Fund to expand its donor program and fundraising capacity. The organization also released a UN Statistics Division webinar on intersectionality in citizen data research and launched a new Research Participant Panel for community members interested in future studies.

In April, Global Deaf Research Institute formalized its global partnership with the World Federation of the Deaf and confirmed fiscal sponsorship for Kurdish deaf leader Rizgar's upcoming Frontrunners program in Denmark. The organization also completed a cost-benefit analysis for newborn hearing screening in Indonesia, began advocacy connections with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and published its 2026–2028 strategic plan.

In March, Global Deaf Research Institute advanced international infrastructure by beginning steps toward a Canadian bank account and deepening partnerships in Brazil, while laying groundwork for a future New York City needs assessment and refining plans for the Dominican Republic's first national deaf needs assessment, targeted for early 2027. The organization also submitted a grant application to the Deaf Organizations Fund Impact Grant and expanded its Deaf Voices Counted program to include data literacy training for deaf leaders.

Global Deaf Research Institute's February update highlighted expanded global partnerships—including a new Harvard Dataverse public data repository, membership in the Living Inclusion Network, and engagement with the World Health Organization and UN Statistics Division on disability data standards. The month also saw research milestones on the Ecuador National Deaf Needs Assessment, advocacy support for deaf individuals affected by ICE enforcement, and early-stage work on a Canada Deaf National Needs Assessment.