Warm spring greetings!
April was a month of great progress for Global Deaf Research Institute. From supporting deaf leadership in Kurdistan to strengthening immigrant rights advocacy in the United States, advancing research in Indonesia, and formalizing our global partnership with the World Federation of the Deaf, this month reminded us how deeply connected our work is across communities and countries. Here’s what we’ve been working on.
Supporting Deaf Leadership in Kurdistan
This month we confirmed that Global Deaf Research Institute will serve as the fiscal sponsor for Rizgar, a deaf leader from Kurdistan, as he prepares to attend Frontrunners in Denmark from August 2026 to May 2027.
Rizgar is currently the partnership coordinator for the Kurdistan Deaf Association in Duhok and has spent years advocating for the human rights of Kurdish deaf people. He will be the first deaf Kurd to attend Frontrunners, bringing back what he learns to support quality deaf education, interpreter ethics, and expanded employment opportunities in his community.
This is exactly why it is important to collaborate with and support deaf leaders in other countries. When local deaf leaders are ready, Global Deaf Research Institute can help strengthen their advocacy with evidence, resources, and global connections. If you are interested in supporting Rizgar in attending Frontrunners, you can go here to donate!
Advancing Advocacy for Deaf Immigrants
In April, we connected with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights to share why accessibility and appropriate accommodations for deaf immigrants are so important. This conversation is helping build stronger connections with organizations working directly with immigrant and refugee communities.
They will connect us with a Justice Department contact who could benefit from our documentation work. This is an important step toward making sure deaf immigrants’ experiences are documented, understood, and included in advocacy efforts.
Research Progress in Indonesia
We also completed a grant focused on the cost benefit analysis of a universal newborn hearing screening and early intervention programme in Indonesia.
This work matters because early access to hearing screening and intervention can shape education, communication access, family support, and long term quality of life for deaf children and their families. Research like this helps governments, advocates, and communities better understand the value of investing in accessible systems from the beginning.
Official Partnership with the World Federation of the Deaf
April also brought an exciting milestone. We signed our Memorandum of Understanding with the World Federation of the Deaf, making our partnership official.
This partnership is very important to Global Deaf Research Institute because it strengthens our global network and expands opportunities for collaboration, advocacy, and research. We also began reaching out to potential sponsors for our upcoming fundraisers. If you are interested in supporting this work or connecting us with a sponsor, please let us know.
Sharing Our Strategic Plan
This month we uploaded our strategic plan for 2026 to 2028 to our website so that our community, partners, and supporters can see where we are headed. Transparency is central to our work, and we want our supporters to understand how Global Deaf Research Institute is building toward long term impact.
Our strategic plan reflects our commitment to deaf led research, stronger global partnerships, improved data advocacy, and expanded programs that help deaf communities document their needs and advocate for change.
Welcoming a New Research Assistant
We are also expanding our newsletter to spotlight members of our team and research community. This month, we are thrilled to introduce the newest member of our team, Danny Himes.
Danny is passionate about population statistics and demographics, with a background in qualitative and quantitative analysis. As a Master’s graduate from abroad, he thinks outside the box and understands diverse cultures and ways of life. He will contribute to research translation, data analysis skills, and expanding the inclusion of deaf people in data.
As an intern, he will focus on analyzing data, translating it into actionable insights, and promoting deaf data advocacy and visibility.
Join us in welcoming Danny!
Looking Ahead
As we move forward, we are continuing to build the partnerships, research tools, and advocacy relationships needed to improve deaf people’s quality of life worldwide. From Kurdistan to Indonesia to the United States, April showed how local leadership and global collaboration can work together to create lasting change.
Your support makes this work possible. Thank you for standing with us, amplifying deaf voices, and helping ensure that deaf communities are included in research, policy, and advocacy around the world.
With gratitude,
The GDRI Team
