BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM
Language, Identity & Belonging
Welcome to the second week of The Optimist Daily’s Annual Local Changemakers series. This week, we celebrate those bridging communication gaps and fighting for inclusion. Join us as we learn all about changemakers whose work speaks volumes and strives to catch the attention of a world that often forgets to listen. From linguistic equity to educational access, their compassion creates ripples of empowerment.
Today, we shine a light on Celena Ponce, a woman whose heart and hands are shaping a more just, inclusive world for Deaf immigrants and their families.
How Celena Ponce is empowering Deaf immigrant families
The impactful work of Celena Ponce began as a loving relationship between her and her goddaughter, a young Deaf Latina woman struggling to navigate an unfamiliar world. Starting Hands United, or Manos Unidas in Spanish, wasn’t just a career move; it was born out of love and compassion.
Now, the nonprofit now supports Deaf and hard-of-hearing children of immigrant families across 30 states. From ASL education to legal consultation support, Celena and her team are bridging the gap for families that are too often left out of the conversation.
“We’ve now supported around 300 families in 30 states,” Celena shared. “And we’re currently working with six Deaf immigrants—helping either through consultation with their legal team or by connecting them to the right support.”
It’s a small but mighty operation that offers classes, workshops, visual communication tools, multilingual ASL dictionaries, and legal navigation help, all for free. The nonprofit’s dedication extends to creating communication boards for immigration and detention contexts, allowing Deaf individuals to better advocate for themselves when it matters most.
Hands United doesn’t just mitigate the impact of language deprivation. It reaches over layers of exclusion and makes a path for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community to live with dignity.
More than services: stories of trust and transformation
The weight of Hands United’s work can’t be measured solely in numbers. It’s in the relief of a parent who can finally communicate with their child. The empowerment of a Deaf immigrant who, for the first time, feels heard in court. The joy of a child signing “I love you” to their mom in their shared language.
The organization is trusted not only by the families it serves, but also by major supporters in the Deaf community. The American Society for Deaf Children (ASDC) has publicly championed Hands United for its groundbreaking work with underserved Deaf youth and immigrant communities.
“ASDC supports Hands United’s mission of bridging communication gaps for Deaf children in immigrant families,” the organization shared. “Their commitment to equity and education reflects the future we all want to build.”
Equity, heart, and a vision for more
Hands United remains free for all families, thanks to a community-powered model built on collaboration and compassion. Their bilingual website, handsunitedor.org, is filled with resources, from sign language guides to updates about workshops and events. The nonprofit’s presence is also active on Facebook, where their team shares real-time support updates and multilingual advocacy.
While their reach already spans 30 states, Celena envisions scaling further to meet families wherever they are, in every sense of the word.
From us to them: A standing ovation
This kind of change takes hands and hearts. As part of this feature, we also honor the families who have trusted Hands United, the educators who partner in solidarity, and the Deaf community leaders who uplift one another in the pursuit of a more inclusive world.
Celena, thank you for showing us what it looks like to listen deeply, teach boldly, and love in every language.
Learn more about Hands United and how you can support their work: https://handsunitedor.org/
Follow them on Instagram and YouTube for the latest updates.
