Deaf Stories: Silent NO MORE

K-12 STEAM education

Central LA East LA South LA San Gabriel Valley West LA Gateway Cities South Bay Long Beach San Fernando Valley Antelope Valley County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit) City of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a citywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Deaf children, particularly those from low-income communities, face systemic barriers that limit access to language, quality education, mental health support, and self-expression. Too often, their accomplishments are overlooked, their potential undervalued, and their identities misunderstood. Without visibility and culturally responsive resources, these youth may internalize harmful narratives—leading to lower academic achievement, social isolation, and diminished self-worth.
Deaf Stories: Silent NO MORE directly addresses these challenges by amplifying the voices of deaf youth and exposing the broader community to both the barriers and the brilliance within the deaf experience. Through powerful storytelling, we will challenge stigma, reduce invisibility, and elevate what's possible when support, recognition, and opportunity are equitably provided. This is not just a project about awareness—it is a movement for access, inclusion, and transformation.

Deaf Stories: Silent NO MORE will launch with a live performance of Silent NO MORE at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Los Angeles, where deaf individuals will share powerful personal stories of perseverance, identity, and transformation. Each performer will be professionally filmed and turned into a digital “Spotlight”—a short-form video that highlights their achievements, challenges, and message to others. These 10 initial Spotlights will anchor a larger effort to produce 100 Spotlights throughout the year, capturing the voices of No Limits students, alumni and individuals from across Los Angeles County.
These Spotlights will be woven together into a documentary that explores the lived experiences of deaf youth—highlighting the barriers they face due to lack of access and the life-changing outcomes that occur when resources and support are provided. The documentary will expose the damaging consequences of invisibility, ableism, and poverty, while showcasing what’s possible when marginalized communities are seen, supported, and believed in.
The finished film will be shared with schools and families across LA County to educate, empower, and inspire. This project is not just about deaf equity—it’s about making sure that every young person, regardless of disability or income, knows they matter and their story deserves to be told.

Deaf Stories: Silent NO MORE will fundamentally shift how Los Angeles County understands deafness—not as a limitation, but as a different lived experience that brings creativity, resilience, and insight. Deaf individuals will see themselves reflected in these Spotlights. Educators and policymakers will gain insight into the impact of exclusion and the urgency of access. Families will feel less alone.

By distributing these powerful stories across LA County, we will build a more empathetic, informed, and inclusive community. The impact will extend far beyond the deaf community, reaching anyone who has ever felt overlooked due to disability, income, or identity. This project will spark dialogue, ignite action, and create lasting change.