April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Centering Deaf Survivors
April marks Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM)—a time to amplify the voices of survivors, challenge harmful myths, and advocate for safer communities. For Deaf survivors, the barriers to safety and support are even greater. Communication access, systemic inaccessibility, and a lack of culturally competent services often leave Deaf individuals isolated in their healing journey.
The theme this year is “Together We Act, United We Change.” Amid the uncertainty of the world, unity is incredibly important, and unity is something the deaf community does exceptionally well!
At ThinkSelf, we work to break barriers by providing Deaf-centered advocacy, education, and support. This SAAM, we urge allies, service providers, and policymakers to recognize the unique challenges Deaf survivors face and commit to building inclusive, accessible pathways to justice and healing.
Let’s take action together. Learn, share, and stand in solidarity with Deaf survivors this month and beyond.
Donations Needed!
April is Sexual Assault awareness Month. Think about donating new and unused personal care items to ThinkSelf to empower individuals in difficult situations, and to restore the most basic need – Health and cleanliness.
To donate, email ThinkSelf at [email protected], or give us a call on our hotline at 651-829-9089.
Welcome Sko!
Sachiko Flores, a proud first-generation American with Mexican-Japanese roots, thrives in the great outdoors. She earned her B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from Texas A&M University, inspired by study abroad experiences in Fiji and Australia that fueled her passion for conservation.
From rolling up her sleeves with Conservation Corps Minnesota in an AmeriCorps-supported role to earning a Master’s in International Development at Gallaudet University, Sachiko’s work has always focused on community impact. She spent nearly two years in Thailand advocating for people with disabilities through an inclusive business before co-founding CorpsTHAT in 2016 to strengthen Deaf representation in the outdoors.
For the past six years, she has also led Deaf Worlds, advocating for sign language access and capacity-building worldwide. Now at ThinkSelf, she’s continuing her mission to expand accessibility and resources.
When she’s not working, you’ll find her hiking, orienteering, learning hockey (because Minnesota!), and dreaming up her next big idea.
Come Join Us at DCLC!
Come find ThinkSelf at our booth during Deaf Culture, Language, and Careers day at White Bear Lake High School’s new building. While there, ThinkSelf will showcase our staff, some of our learners, and what we do in and for the community.
Swing by and say hi, pick up a few awesome pens, and choose some stickers to decorate your water bottle with!
