National Association of the Deaf

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) Miss Deaf America Ambassador Program (MDAAP) showcases young deaf women ambassadors from our great nation. NAD Miss Deaf America is more than just a title -- she reflects a tradition of empowerment, advocacy, and dedication.

Young women are transformed into tomorrow's leaders when they are crowned as winners of their state competitions. These women bring their talents to the national stage during the Biennial NAD Conference where they display their vision and passion for advocacy on behalf of deaf and hard of hearing Americans. The work of NAD Miss Deaf America, and state contestant winners  have inspired thousands of starry-eyed young deaf girls.

Upon being crowned, NAD Miss Deaf America travels throughout the country during her two-year reign,  reaching out to diverse members of the deaf and hard of hearing community to support her ideals, committed to helping others.

NAD Miss Deaf America 2010-2012

Rachel Mazique

Rachel Mazique, the Miss Deaf America Ambassador of 2010-2012, is passionate about education and activism; she believes in the importance of the everyday politics of performance—disrupting stereotypical beliefs about what Deaf people can achieve. "The world is our stage."

Rachel graduated from Gallaudet University in 2008 with a BA in English, a BA in Education, and a minor in Psychology. She completed her MA in English at the University of Texas at Austin (UT)in 2010. Rachel is currently a PhD student in the English Department at UT; her research interests include Deaf Literature, Women and Gender Studies, Ethnic Literature, and Disability Studies.

She is currently an Assistant Instructor teaching her own Freshman Rhetoric and Writing class at UT and is also the Assistant Accessibility Editor for The Journal of Multimedia Projects. Rachel helped establish the Digital Media a