News & Events
DeafHope Statement on Federal Funding
[Video Description: Greta, a white woman with long dark hair and a light blonde streak in front. She’s wearing a black shirt, gold necklaces, blue nail polish, and a nose ring. Behind her is a calm background with a picture of a sun and rays. At the top of the video, there are three logos for Deaf Wings, DeafHope, and Deaf Unity.]
Our government is taking actions to undermine all aspects of our social and cultural systems built to care for people. They are systematically dismantling support for marginalized people and targeting any opposition. One example of this is withdrawing critical grant funding from nonprofits, without warning or valid reason. Another example is threatening to revoke grant funding unless organizations remove all mention of diversity, inclusion, equity and access in our materials. New grant applications explicitly say we are no longer able to do social justice work, that we cannot focus on support for immigrant communities, that we cannot have an accessibility focus.
DeafHope has received federal funding for many years, which has supported our life saving services to end violence in Deaf communities. About 75% of our funding is federal. DeafHope funds have not directly been canceled by the government yet. Instead our team made a collective decision to stop accepting federal funds. We are doing this because of authoritarian government actions. Because of their specific attack on oppressed communities like transgender people. Because accepting funds means stopping all of our solidarity movement work. DeafHope can no longer be complicit by accepting federal dollars. We are following the leadership of abolitionist organizations like HEARD.
We know we are taking a risk that our organization will be shut down by making this statement. We know that we are losing the funds that support our services. The risk faced by communities under attack by this government is so much higher. We owe it to all our people to take action in the face of fascism. DeafHope is making a call to action to each of you – what is happening in our government is not right. Do something: Contact your local, state, federal representatives and ask them to protect our people and systems of support. Donate to a Deaf anti-violence DVSV organization program. Volunteer for a program doing valuable work that supports our communities. Learn more about the dangerous actions of this federal government.
PLAIN LANGUAGE VERSION of the Statement
Right now, the U.S. government is making changes that hurt many people. These changes stop support from communities that need help the most.
Examples:
- Our government is taking away grant money from nonprofit organizations. No warning. No clear reason.
- They say we must remove words like “diversity,” “inclusion,” “equity,” and “access” from our organization and website.
- New rules say we can’t talk about social justice, immigrant support, or accessibility.
DeafHope organization did use federal money for many years. We got around 75% money from the federal government. That money did help us serve Deaf communities to stop violence.
The U.S. government has not ended our funding yet. But we decided to make a choice. We will not accept federal money anymore.
Why?
Because the U.S. government is hurting communities like transgender people. They want to control what we say and do. They do not want us to support each other or work together. We don’t accept or support that.
We follow the lead of other groups like HEARD, for example. We say no to injustice.
We know this is a BIG risk. Maybe we lose our services. Maybe the U.S. government will force DeafHope to close. But we see many people are being hurt more. We believe we must act now.
You can help. How?
- Contact government leaders. Ask them to protect our communities.
- Donate to Deaf anti-violence programs.
- Volunteer with groups that support our people.
- Learn more. Speak out.
DeafHope Services
Hello from DeafHope
Deaf Power and Control Wheel in ASL
DeafHope is excited to share a new version of our Power and Control Wheel in ASL. Click on each section for a video. If you are experiencing any of these forms of abuse, there is support for you. Contact DeafHope or the National VP Hotline.
Thank you to Wenda Whalen, one of DeafHope’s founding Board members for sharing her ASL talents. Also giving thanks to Rossana Reis for designing our Deaf Power and Control Wheel. We are grateful to each survivor for sharing their story and courage, which contributed to the important information in this Wheel.
#IKnowSomeone
DeafHope’s #IKnowSomeone campaign has come to a close, but you still can submit videos any time. We can all help in the effort to spread awareness and support for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. You can check out our playlist with all #IKnowSomeone videos below. We send a heartfelt thank you to all the community members who participated in this important campaign.
Culturally Responsive DV Network
DeafHope is honored to work with peer DVSV organizations from around the state of California who provide services to marginalized and underserved communities. As a part of CRDVN, a project funded by the Blue Shield of California Foundation, we are working together to make sure survivors of color, undocumented, Deaf and other survivors are at the forefront of policy, funding and services. Last week CRDVN met to discuss our plans for the next six months, which include advocacy on the state level for increased funding and improved safety planning for undocumented survivors. We learned about how nonprofits can advocacy for policy change and had some fun self-care in the evening with henna!
[image description: large photo on the left, group of women standing in a large room with a light wood floor, looking toward a speaker, large painted images on white paper on the floor. Bottom left, orange letters CRDVN on pink background with confetti shapes around it. bottom middle, someone getting intricate henna tattoo on their hand. top right round painted image on white paper of flowers and a river with the words returning to the root and source. middle right, painted image on white paper of green leaves, a stream and footprints with the words discovering footprints. bottom right, painted image on white paper of a large green tree with the words in the world renewed.]
DeafHope Board Retreat
The DeafHope Board and Staff met for our annual retreat this weekend. We had fun, discussed our vision for 2018 and got excited for the new projects in store for our communities!
[image description: collage of four images. on the left, group photo of DeafHope team outside, smiling at the camera, Rochelle and Aracelia sitting in front, Amber, Mary, Jane, Brian and Sherry standing in the back. at top right, snapchat image of Brian with a curly blonde wig animation, raising his arms in the air in triumph. at middle right, Brian and Aracelia sitting in a living room smiling at the camera. At bottom right, Jane, Brian and Aracelia are leaning over a table playing a board game.]
#IKnowSomeone
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#IKnow Someone
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Happy Holidays from DeafHope!
[description: DeafHope holiday photo, standing together smiling at the camera holding holiday ornaments. Mary is on the left wearing glasses and a grey sweater, then Aracelia with hair pulled back, wearing a red sweater and shiny scarf. Next is Jane wearing a dark top, then Brian with a holiday hat, last is Julie wearing a black top and silver bangles. In the background you can see just the top of a lighted christmas tree.]