DAKYA (Deaf and KODA Youth Advocacy)

DAKYA (Deaf and KODA Youth Advocacy) empowers Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, and KODA youth to become leaders, engage in decision-making, raise community awareness, and advocate for inclusivity, equity, and disability justice while building essential skills and fostering collaboration.

DAKYA advocacy for transgender

What Is DAKYA?

DAKYA is a youth leadership and empowerment program tailored specifically for:

  • Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing youth

  • KODA (Kids of Deaf Adults)

  • DeafBlind and DeafDisabled youth

  • LGBTQIA+ youth who are Deaf or KODA

This inclusive space nurtures the voices of young people often left out of mainstream programs. DAKYA goes beyond traditional advocacy by rooting everything in disability justice, Deaf culture, and intersectional liberation.

What Youth Gain in the Program

    • Self-advocacy and peer education

    • Decision-making and organizing skills

    • Identity exploration and disability justice

    • Design community campaigns

    • Lead storytelling, art, or education initiatives

    • Take ownership of real-world impact

    • Connect with Deaf, queer, and disabled mentors

    • Build meaningful peer-to-peer relationships

    • Learn in affirming, accessible, and trauma-informed spaces

    • American Sign Language (ASL) first

    • Visual aids, large print, neurodivergent-friendly design

    • Sessions paced to support regulation, autonomy, and consent

Too often, Deaf youth and KODAs are Deaf LGBTQ youth support group, especially those who are trans, non-binary, or disabled, are excluded from traditional leadership spaces. DAKYA creates space where they belong and thrive—not by fitting in, but by leading from their lived experience.

Join the Movement

DAKYA is more than a program—it’s a liberation pathway. When Deaf youth lead, the world changes.
Let’s build that world—together

Are you trans and Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, or a KODA?

Your donation ensure KODA youth can learn, lead, and thrive.