Every organization has its story to tell, showing how it has evolved over time. Just like people, our organization has changed while remaining true to our principles.
2007
The Beginning with Blogs
On June 9, 2007, two Americans, Christy Smith and David Justice (DJ), named ‘Discovering Deaf Worlds’ (DDW) after their blogs. They used their blogs as a platform to share their global travels. Their passion was to elevate Deaf individuals through equal opportunities. Their priorities were on improving accessibility to language, education, and capacity-building within the Deaf communities, which remain true today.
2008
Forming the Trio
While traveling, Christy and DJ met Davin Searls in China, where he taught at Changchun University. The three brainstormed ideas for DDW through their common interests, and how it would positively impact the Deaf communities worldwide.
2009
Official Establishment
On August 13, 2009, DDW became an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, dedicated to empowering Deaf/Hard of Hearing communities in developing countries (now referred as ‘low-to-middle-income countries’). Based in Rochester, New York, Davin was appointed Executive Director with DJ and Christy as Co-Founders/Directors.
2010
Building Partnerships
DDW collaborated with nonprofits and educational institutions to promote its philanthropy. We launched a voluntourism* program called Journeys (since dissolved), offering students insights into deaf communities worldwide.
2011
Evolving Approach
While DDW initially focused on cultural exchange opportunities for Deaf students, during World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) Congress in South Africa, they met a Deaf Kenyan who inspired on shifting towards sustainable organizational development.
2012
Organizational Development
DDW formally transitioned its focus to organizational development, securing grants for programming with local partners starting with the Philippine Federation of the Deaf.
2013
Growth and Challenges
The expansion from 2013 to 2018 brought challenges, including staff burnout, during successful programs in two countries, the Philippines and Dominican Republic.
2017
New Staff Hire
During the expansion, DDW hired a new staff, History Estill-Varner, as the Program Director for the next 5 years.
2019
New Leadership
Sachiko Flores and History Estill-Varner became Co-Executive Directors, marking the first women of color to lead DDW. Both navigated the USA’s longest federal government shutdown (35 days), affecting DDW’s programs in Dominican Republic and the People’s Republic of China.
2020
Adapting to Change
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and global crises, DDW underwent significant reassessments, resulting in a rebrand to ‘Deaf Worlds.’
2021
Reigniting Hope
With virtual trainings as a new norm due to global changes, the DDW team was finally able to travel and interact with local partners. Programs in the Dominican Republic and the People’s Republic of China were extended without extra costs.
2022
Transition and New Beginnings
Sachiko Flores became as the sole Executive Director and started a new program in Nigeria.
2023
Strategic Decisions
DDW completed its program in China and continued work in Nigeria. Sachiko and the board made a bold decision to hold board recruitment, thus reducing the number of board directors and allowing an evaluation of internal operations to meet today’s trends.
2024
A New Era
After completing the program in Nigeria, Sachiko implemented the new blueprint, introducing current strategies for operations, marketing, and infrastructure. DDW has now moved forward from its traditional international development to modern global development.
At every stage, DDW is committed to the empowerment of Deaf communities. We stay true to our values as we grow.
What We Learned
Originally, DDW supported deaf communities through voluntourism for economic development but it lacked sustainability. Evolving with the world, DDW shifted to more informed global development practices. In 2012, DDW pivoted its focus to specifically community-driven programs, achieving breakthroughs with 6 large grants to date.
Why We Evolved
The global crises* of the 2020s pushed DDW’s Executive Directors to call emergency board meetings for reassessments on how DDW could sustain. In 2021, DDW underwent major changes, rebranding from “Discovering Deaf Worlds” to “Deaf Worlds”. The assessment showed the obsoletion on the colonial term, “Discovering”. Thus, the vision, mission, and values evolved through the two-year process.
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