Maria Tanya de Guzman

Maria Tanya de Guzman, originally from the Philippines, has been living in the U.S. for 23 years. She served as the president of the Bay Area Asian Deaf Association (BAADA) for two to three years, driven by a deep passion to inspire and make a positive impact within the Deaf Asian community in the Bay Area. Her leadership was characterized by a commitment to raising awareness about her Filipina heritage through cheerful storytelling and being a role model for Deaf Asian women, encouraging them to believe they can achieve anything they set their minds to.

Reflecting on her time with BAADA, Maria describes it as a fulfilling journey filled with memorable experiences, such as celebrating Lunar New Year in partnership with the National Asian Deaf Congress (NADC) and hosting esteemed guest speakers like Dr. Virnig, Dr. Klopping, and Howard Rosenblum from the National Association of the Deaf (NAD). She values the enriching and rewarding journey with BAADA, which continues to provide positive experiences and foster a strong sense of community.

Maria emphasizes the importance of inclusion, partnership, support, understanding, and respect within the Asian Deaf community. To the public, she advocates for the need for more Asian Deaf leaders to emerge and lead with passion and dedication.