It’s taken me a few weeks to find the words. Honestly, I’ve been grieving—grieving the loss of expertise, of stability, and of the systems that families like mine have spent decades helping to build. Today, I spoke at a national press conference to share what’s at stake for families like mine. I wasn’t there as a special educator or policy expert—I was there as a mom. A mom of four children, two who are deafblind. What follows is the statement I shared. It’s deeply personal,

By Lanya Elsa It’s taken me some time to write this. Honestly, I needed to step back, breathe, and take care of myself and my family. What’s happening in our education system has shaken me to my core. This isn’t just a sprint—it’s a marathon. And it’s far from over. I’m deeply grateful that the DeafBlind projects in Washington, Oregon, Wisconsin, and the New England Consortium (serving several northeastern states) will continue to receive support this year—but that support co

I’m currently writing a book called Bridging the Divide: How Lived Experience Can Transform Systems —a blend of memoir, research, and...