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Sept 17 – 20, 2026 · Online
Learn from 20+ Deaf adults, parents, and professionals sharing the real stories and lived experience no one hands you at diagnosis, so you can raise your child with clarity, connection, and confidence.
Get Your Free TicketWatch the video below to learn how this event will help you move from fear and overwhelm to connection, confidence, and informed decision-making.
You're doing everything you can. You're showing up to appointments. You're researching late into the night. You're listening to doctors, audiologists, therapists, teachers, and anyone else who seems to have answers.
You love your child deeply, and you're trying to make the best decisions you can with the information you have.
But somewhere along the way, it started to feel like...
You were told there was a right way forward. Yet the more information you gather, the harder it becomes to see the whole picture.
And maybe you've been told sign language isn't necessary, but you can't shake the feeling you're missing something important.
There has got to be a better way.
You don't need someone telling you what decisions to make. You need access to the perspectives, experiences, and conversations that help you see what's possible.
You need to be inspired by people who have actually lived it.
This is exactly what you'll experience at the Growing Up Deaf Summit.
Join us for the Growing Up Deaf Summit and learn from 20+ Deaf adults, parents, educators, advocates, interpreters, and professionals who will share the experiences, insights, and resources that can help you move forward with confidence.
Together we'll explore:
A growing lineup of Deaf adults, parents, educators, advocates, interpreters, and Deaf creators, plus live calls and a hands-on workshop. Here's how each day comes together.
The names, talk titles, and photos below are samples to show you how the lineup will look. They are not the actual confirmed presenters. The real lineup is being booked now and announced soon.
Learn directly from Deaf adults about growing up deaf: identity, community, and what they wish hearing parents had known from the very beginning.
Kick off the four days together. Kris welcomes you, walks you through how to get the most from the summit, and sets the tone for a week of connection.
"What I Wish My Parents Knew When I Was Two"
Deaf advocate & storyteller
"Deaf Gain: The Strengths No One Names"
Deaf creator & educator
"Finding My People: Building Deaf Community"
Deaf community organizer
"Growing Up Between Two Worlds"
Deaf writer & creator
Families who've walked this path share what they'd tell you from day one: the challenges, the lessons, the victories, and the moments that moved them from uncertainty to confidence.
"From Grief to Grounded: A Parent's Honest Story"
Mom of a Deaf daughter
"You're Allowed to Grieve and Still Be a Great Parent"
Parent & group facilitator
"The Day I Stopped Fixing and Started Connecting"
Dad of two Deaf kids
"Finding Our Family's Footing After Diagnosis"
Parent advocate
Learn from teachers of the Deaf, advocates, and other professionals who can help you better understand the resources and support available to your family.
A hands-on session to get your hands moving. Shawn from The Signing Room leads a beginner-friendly ASL practice you can use with your child right away, no experience needed.
"Building an IEP That Centers Language Access"
Education advocate
"Choosing a School Setting Without the Fear"
Deaf teacher & mentor
"Working With Interpreters: What Families Should Know"
ASL interpreter
"Early Intervention That Centers Your Child"
Teacher of the Deaf
+ many more presenters being announced soon
Today we go hands-on with live ASL practice sessions led by Deaf teachers, then gather for a live closing call to map your next steps as a community. Plus, bonus time to catch any Day 3 sessions you missed.
Drop into beginner-friendly, hands-on sign language learning and practice with different teachers throughout the day. No experience needed, all levels welcome!
"Everyday Signs for Mealtimes and Play"
Deaf ASL teacher
"Signing Through Your Daily Routine"
The Signing Room
"Your First Signs, the Bloom Way"
ASL Bloom app
Additional practice leaders being announced
Stay tuned
We close the summit as a community. Reflect on what landed, ask your lingering questions, and leave with clear, doable next steps for your family.
A hearing mom raising my Deaf son, Jayden, bilingually in ASL and English.
When Jayden was diagnosed at 18 months old and later received a cochlear implant at age two, I was told I didn't need to learn sign language right away. Like many parents, I wanted to do everything right. I followed the recommendations, worked hard, and trusted the experts around me.
But underneath it all, something didn't feel complete. I couldn't fully understand my own child, and I couldn't shake the feeling that there had to be more to the story.
So we started learning sign language. Everything began to change.
What started as a search for better communication opened the door to an entire community, a richer understanding of Deaf culture, and a completely different vision for what my son's future could look like.
Since 2020, I've been on a journey of my own. What began as learning how to better support my son eventually became a much deeper path of personal growth and healing. Along the way, I became a certified group facilitator, learned how to hold space for women in circles, and committed to the kind of inner work that helps us move through fear instead of being controlled by it.
That personal transformation taught me that information matters, but feeling seen, understood, and connected matters too.
As Co-Chair of the Parent Council at Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf, I've seen firsthand how powerful connection, language access, and community can be.
I created the Growing Up Deaf Summit because it's the resource I wish someone had handed me the day my son was diagnosed.
I can't wait to welcome you.
The summit runs September 17 to 20, 2026, with presentations released throughout the event. It's completely virtual, so you can attend from anywhere with an internet connection. Watch during nap time, after bedtime, or from the sidelines of a therapy appointment.
Attend presentations from more than 20 Deaf adults, parents, educators, advocates, interpreters, and professionals covering Deaf identity, language access, Deaf culture, education, communication, advocacy, and family life. Your free ticket includes 48-hour access to each presentation during the summit.
Join our private Skool community and connect with parents, caregivers, and family members who understand exactly what you're going through. A place to ask questions, share experiences, celebrate wins, and connect with presenters and fellow attendees before, during, and after the summit.
After registering, you'll have the option to upgrade to the All-Access Pass for extended access to the presentations, plus a workbook and additional resources to help you keep learning long after the summit ends. You'll receive all the details after you grab your free ticket.
The Growing Up Deaf Summit was intentionally created to center the perspectives and experiences that are often missing from early conversations after diagnosis.
Many parents receive plenty of information about technology, therapies, and medical options. Far fewer are introduced to Deaf adults. Far fewer learn honest stories from families who have already walked this path. Far fewer are invited into Deaf culture and community early enough to understand the opportunities those connections can create.
This summit was built to change that.
Every presentation is ASL interpreted, captioned, and transcribed, because accessibility isn't a bonus feature here. It's part of the foundation.
Instead of telling you what decisions to make, this summit helps you see a wider range of possibilities so you can make informed choices that align with your family's values, goals, and needs.
It's time to stop carrying the weight of every decision alone, and to discover the people, perspectives, and resources that can help you move forward with confidence.
Get Your Free TicketInterested in sponsoring the Growing Up Deaf Summit? Email hello@krisdaria.com