Deaf women ritualistically beaten & killed

The bodies of three women in Haiti were found in a ditch after they were "beaten, stabbed and burned. The relatives who identified "them in a morgue said their tongues were cut out" raising speculation they were targeted because they were deaf and seen using sign language. Read the full story from Associated Press here.

DeafNation in Puerto Rico

DeafNation Expo hits San Juan (May 18). Join the trade show for exhibitions and entertainment at no charge. You'll find it at the Puerto Rico Convention Center. Find out more here.

Disaster victims in Haiti

The New York Times looks at the work some U.S. groups are doing for the deaf in Haiti here.

The Deaf in Haiti

"They would be beaten up or shoved out of the way if they were seen speaking in sign language." Read a story of working with deaf families in Haiti by a Chicago newspaper here.

Miss Deaf International Contest

Miss Deaf Jamaican, Cassandra Whyte, won the 2nd Miss Deaf International 2011 in Orlando last week. There were 20 contestants from countries representing China, The United States of America, Peru, South Africa, Poland, France, Korea, Brazil, Cuba, Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Hungary, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Sweden, Mongolia and Switzerland. First runner-up was Miss Deaf Brazil, while second runner-up went to Miss Deaf France, and third to Miss Deaf Korea. The contest included a talent show, costume, evening gown, and swimsuit portions. Read more about the competition here.

Celebrity Help in Haiti

Miley Cyrus is visiting Haiti in support of the Starkey Hearing Foundation. She's helping the hearing aid group to make molds of children's ears, so that custom hearing aids can be made at Starkey headquarters in Minnesota. The 'Hannah Montana' star had previously donated the proceeds from one of her singles to Haiti relief efforts.

Helping Deaf Haitians

Groups from Gallaudet University are traveling to Hait, to help Haitians left home from the devastating earthquake that hit the country earlier this year. One tent city in Port-au-Prince was set up just for deaf Haitians. New England Cable News offers this video on how deaf Americans are reaching out.

Haiti Fundraiser

A fund raiser called Spin-4-Haiti is being planned for February 5th and 6th at Gallaudet. The stationary cycling event will benefit the students of Institut Montfort, a school for deaf students in the capital city of Port-au-Prince, and the Haiti Association of the Deaf. Here is more information.

Help for Haiti

Here are several groups that were working with in Haiti to help deaf children before the quake struck.

Institut Montfort is a school for deaf students in the capital city of Port-au-Prince.

Northwest Haiti Christian Mission runs a deaf school in Haiti.

A Catholic group, Reiser Relief was working this fall on establishing the Maranatha Orphanage for Children which includes deaf children (though that is not their focus).

The Children's Medical Mission of Haiti is associated with the Episcopal church and had some outreach to the deaf there before the quake.

Info on Haiti Earthquake

OIC movies offers this ASL video on the quake in Haiti.

Gally Sports Helps Haiti

Money was taken up at the January 13 women's and men's basketball games featuring Gallaudet against Hood College to aid survivors of Haiti's earthquake. The teams and fans also observed a moment of silence. Proceeds from the January 20 men's and women's doubleheader against Wesley College were also donated to the American Red Cross in order to benefit quake survivors.

Haiti Contact Service

Video relay service LifeLinks offers deaf to contact Haitian Creole speakers in the U.S. and Haiti at no cost in their native language.