Hands United
Supporting immigrant families with children who are Deaf or hard of hearing to connect and grow with their child.
Open Letter: Access to Video Relay Services
In November 2024, Hands United raised concerns with federal regulators about barriers preventing immigrant families with Deaf children from accessing federally funded Video Relay Services. As of January 2026, none of these families have received services.
Read the full letter (accessible text)Download our app!
Download for iPhone
Download for AndroidKnow Your Rights card in Sign Languages!
Here is our Know Your Rights card in multiple sign languages (Click image to go to the page). This page will continue to grow as videos come in.
Click here to download the printable version.
Upcoming Events
Immigration 101 — Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing Only
A three-part workshop series created specifically for Deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.
- Immigration paths and realistic costs
- How the immigration system and court actually work
- Deaf-specific access barriers and interpreter issues
Dates: February 13, 20, and 27
Time: 4:00–6:00 pm PST
Platform: Zoom
Basic Colombian Sign Language (LSC) Workshop — Families
Learn basic food and location vocabulary in Colombian Sign Language (LSC) and learn about the Colombian Deaf community.
Date: February 15
Cost: Free for families, $15 for professionals
Immigration 101 — Hearing Community (Spoken English)
A three-session series for professionals, volunteers, and community members who support Deaf immigrants and their families.
Dates: February 21, February 28, and March 7
Language: Spoken English
Platform: Zoom
Know Your Rights in ASL — Every Thursday
Weekly Know Your Rights sessions in ASL focused on ICE interactions, communication during enforcement encounters, and access barriers faced by Deaf immigrants.
Time: Thursdays at 4:00 pm PST
Platform: Zoom
Resources Galore!
We are excited to share our resources with you!
We have our dictionary terms available online in our Spanish website. (Click image to go to dictionary.)
We have also made communication boards for use in ICE/immigration situations. Please download them and share them as needed.
Hands United Store
To support the creation of free, accessible resources for immigrant families with Deaf and hard-of-hearing children, Hands United has launched the Hands United Store.
Proceeds from the store directly fund multilingual ASL resources, family workshops, communication tools, and accessibility initiatives.
Languages Supported
To date, we have provided ASL classes and resources in Tigrinya, Amharic, Burmese, Russian, Spanish, and Chuukese. We look forward to continuing to grow in our outreach. Vote on our next languages here
Upcoming Workshops
Featured Events & Classes
Know Your Rights in ASL — Every Thursday
Weekly Know Your Rights sessions in ASL focused on interacting with ICE, understanding your rights, and staying safe. Designed for Deaf and hard-of-hearing immigrants and their families.
View KYR resourcesASL Permit Classes — Starting March 11
Online ASL permit classes taught by a Deaf instructor. Classes meet on Wednesdays and Fridays and support Deaf and hard-of-hearing students preparing for their learner’s permit.
Learn more about ASL Permit ClassesWho We Are
Beginning in 2021 through the Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth (CDHY) in Washington State, we offered American Sign Language in spoken Spanish to 6 families. Since that time, we have grown to over 330 families across the US. In May 2024, we decided to start our non-profit organization to offer more services to our families.
Our board members have over 50 years of experience working with Deaf children and immigrant families. We also partner with organizations in 10 states. Click here for more information about our board.
Our Mission
Hands United’s mission is to reduce language deprivation among Deaf and hard-of-hearing children in immigrant families by addressing the language and cultural barriers that often prevent effective communication and access to essential services.
We empower families by providing comprehensive support that includes multilingual American Sign Language classes, English/ASL instruction for newly arrived Deaf individuals, enrichment workshops, school and IEP advocacy, immigration and legal resource connections, community support programs, and employment readiness services.
In addition, we strengthen the professional ecosystem that serves Deaf communities by offering interpreter and translation services, professional development workshops, and media/resource development. As part of our commitment to equitable access, we also support and provide pathways for the certification of foreign sign language interpreters—particularly for those coming from countries where no formal certification system exists—ensuring they can continue to serve their communities with recognized qualifications.
Through these combined efforts, we strive to foster lifelong inclusivity, expand sign language proficiency across diverse populations, and promote greater independence, access, and self-determination for Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals and their families.
Teachers Pay Teachers
Some of our earlier multilingual resources remain available on Teachers Pay Teachers. Our newest and most up-to-date materials are now available through the Hands United Store.
