Deaf Professionals Creates spokhand, A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Built for Global Accessibility

May 01, 2025 at 13:44 PM EDT

Based in Atlanta, spokhand, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization created by Deaf professionals, is on a mission to make sign language accessible everywhere.

The Problem

There are 70 million Deaf people worldwide. In many countries, over 80% struggle with reading because written language is often not their first. Subtitles miss the nuances of sign language. Interpreters are rarely present in digital spaces.

This results in massive exclusion across education, healthcare, and public communication.

The Vision

spokhand is addressing this by building the world’s largest open database of sign language videos and annotations.

This database will serve as a foundation for other researchers, developers, educators, and companies to build their own tools powered by sign language.

This includes:

• Automatic sign language translation using 3D avatars

• Multilingual sign dictionaries

• Interactive sign learning tools

• APIs and data access for integration in education, public services, and digital platforms

This data will be open, scalable, and ethically produced under Deaf leadership. spokhand is not here to build every application—it exists to enable the entire ecosystem to create accessible experiences.

It is a foundational resource for the next generation of inclusion, endorsed by the Deaf community and technical partners alike.

The Team

spokhand is led by a Deaf-majority team with deep experience in AI, linguistics, and accessibility. Members have held roles at IBM, UC Berkeley, Gallaudet and led international projects at the intersection of tech and social impact.

The Results So Far

In less than one year:

• 10 million+ views across social media

• 20,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram

• Partnerships launched with Thales and Archimed

• More partnerships and Deaf community endorsements arriving soon

• A major project is now in development

Conclusion

spokhand is not a startup. It is a nonprofit infrastructure built by and for the Deaf community — so that accessibility is not an afterthought but a standard.

To learn more, visit:

Website: spokhand.org

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/_spokhand_/

Media Contact
Company Name: spokhand
Contact Person: Florian Méloux
Email: Send Email
City: Fairburn
State: Georgia
Country: United States
Website: spokhand.org

About Us

Additional Information

Website & Technical Help

Deaf Professionals Creates spokhand, A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Built for Global Accessibility

More News