NYCBDA hosts events throughout the year — from community gatherings and advocacy rallies to workshops and celebrations. Check back here for upcoming events and save-the-dates.
Advocacy plays a vital role in creating equal opportunities and accessibility for the Black Deaf community. In this article,
Community connections help create support systems that empower individuals and families.
Community events provide opportunities to educate, celebrate culture, and raise awareness
NYCBDA’s 43rd anniversary was a heartfelt celebration filled with joy and warmth. The evening opened with a friendly icebreaker that brought together new faces and longtime members, building the bonds that make this organization truly special.
Learn how to advocate for accessibility, equality, and representation. This seminar equips you with the knowledge and strategies to create meaningful change in your community and beyond.
A welcoming space to celebrate identity, share stories, and build lasting relationships. Engage in open conversations and strengthen your connection within the Black Deaf community.
Good afternoon, Everyone!I am so pleased to be here today! It is wonderful to see everyone celebrating the 43rd Anniversary of NYCBDA. Forty-three years — wow! Can you imagine that we are still here and still growing strong?My name is Dorothy Brand. I have been an active member of NYCBDA for many years, and I never imagined it would be possible to belong to this unique Black Deaf professional organization for so long.I grew up as an only child, and I became deaf at the age of 2 due to meningitis. I attended Lexington School for the Deaf, starting at age 3 and graduating at 18 from the old school in Manhattan on Lexington Avenue. That is how the school got its name before it later moved to Queens, New York. While attending school, I got my first job as a typist, working evenings after school before graduation.I am now retired from Wiley, where I worked as a royalty clerk. I have been retired for 18 years, and I am never bored — I truly love it.I became a member of NYCBDA almost 40 years ago, when Patricia Bailey gathered a group of people together to found the organization in 1983.
Happy 43rd Anniversary!
The story of NYCBDA begins with a movement. In 1980, a small group of Black Deaf individuals in Washington, D.C. gathered to raise concerns about the systemic barriers preventing Black Deaf people from reaching their full potential — and about the absence of meaningful leadership in the Black Deaf community nationwide.
At the 1980 National Association of the Deaf (NAD) 100th anniversary convention in Cincinnati, Ohio, a Black Deaf Caucus was formed. Members of the Caucus challenged the NAD’s failure to address the concerns of the Black Deaf community and the lack of Black representation among delegates.
On June 25–26, 1981, the first Black Deaf Conference — titled “Black Deaf Experience” — was held at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Nearly 100 Black Deaf people attended, making it a landmark moment in Black Deaf history.
In 1982, the National Black Deaf Advocates (NBDA) was formally founded. The following year, in 1983, the New York City Black Deaf Advocates was established as Chapter #4 of the NBDA — one of the original founding chapters of the national organization. NYCBDA has been serving the Black Deaf community of New York City ever since.
