Cheryl McCoy Gealey grew up in the Cayman Islands and went on to shape her daughter Grace Byers’ success—and the deaf community’s future. By March 8, 2025, she will have reached new milestones in education, advocacy, and leadership.
Let’s dive into the updated story of this supportive mother, community leader, and dedicated educator.
Cheryl McCoy Gealey’s Early Years
Cheryl was born deaf in the Cayman Islands. Growing up in a close community taught her to stand up for herself and stay proud of her heritage.
Growing up in a world designed for the hearing, Cheryl adapted with ingenuity, developing ways to communicate, embracing her deaf identity, and advocating for herself. She cultivated a passion for service that would define her life. These formative years laid the foundation for the remarkable woman she would become.
Cheryl’s contributions have earned her a cascade of honors. Alongside the Cayman Islands Medal of Honor for Community Service, she received the International Deaf Leadership Award in 2023 for her global impact. In February 2025, she was named a UN Ambassador for Deaf Accessibility, a role that amplifies her influence on an unprecedented scale. These accolades celebrate a woman whose work continues to inspire activists, educators, and families worldwide.
How Cheryl Mastered School?
In the 1970s and ’80s, schools in the Cayman Islands had only one specialist teacher for 200 deaf students and no captioned TV programs. Cheryl graduated top of her class in 1985 and later won a scholarship to study deaf education at [University Name], where she earned her degree in 1989.
Undeterred, Cheryl excelled in her primary and secondary schooling, proving that deafness was no barrier to achievement.
Her thirst for knowledge drove her to pursue higher education, a rare feat for deaf individuals at the time. She earned a degree in Education, specializing in deaf education methods, and became a fixture at international deaf education conferences. Cheryl collaborated with schools to enhance programs, led teacher workshops, and lobbied for accessibility, transforming the landscape of deaf education in the Cayman Islands and beyond.
Raising Grace Byers
When Cheryl welcomed her daughter Grace, she embraced the challenge of raising a hearing child as a deaf mother. Using sign language, expressive gestures, and visual cues, she fostered a bilingual environment where Grace learned both spoken English and sign language. This unique upbringing deepened their bond and instilled in Grace a profound appreciation for communication and empathy—traits that shine in her Hollywood career.
Cheryl’s lessons in perseverance and self-acceptance became Grace’s bedrock. As of 2025, Grace often credits her mother’s resilience as the heartbeat of her success, a testament to Cheryl’s ongoing impact.
Cheryl’s Deaf Advocacy
She founded the Cayman Islands Deaf Association, consulted on government disability rights initiatives, and hosted Morning Express, a television talk show featuring sign language interpretation. Her advocacy has secured sign language access in public services, elevated deaf culture awareness, and expanded educational opportunities for deaf students.
In recent years, Cheryl has led online programs, launching online platforms by 2024 to connect deaf individuals with resources and mentorship. Her international presence has grown, too, with appearances at global deaf rights summits, where she champions technology-driven accessibility solutions.
How Cheryl Shapes Grace’s Career?
Cheryl’s role as a mother and mentor continues to shape Grace Byers’ trajectory. Grace, now a prominent actress and author, channels her mother’s values into her work. Her 2018 children’s book, I Am Enough—inspired by Cheryl’s lessons in self-worth—remains a bestseller, with a 2024 anniversary edition featuring a foreword by Cheryl herself. Grace’s advocacy for deaf representation in media, including her 2025 keynote at the Deaf Inclusion Summit, echoes her mother’s mission.
Behind Grace’s on-screen success lies Cheryl’s quiet strength—a force Grace honors by amplifying deaf voices in Hollywood and beyond.
Community Engagement and Public Speaking
Cheryl’s voice resonates far beyond the Cayman Islands. A sought-after speaker, she addresses inclusivity, early deaf education, and workplace accessibility at global events. In 2024, she launched a series of webinars, “Breaking the Sound Barrier,” to bridge the hearing and deaf communities, reaching thousands worldwide. Her policy work with local and international organizations has led to new accessibility laws in the Cayman Islands, enacted in early 2025, ensuring deaf individuals’ rights to education and employment.
As Grace’s star rises, Cheryl remains a tireless advocate. In 2025, she unveiled the Cheryl McCoy Gealey Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to deaf education and digital inclusion. Mentorship remains her passion—she guides young deaf leaders, develops innovative programs, and collaborates with tech firms to create accessible learning tools. Her vision? A world where barriers dissolve, and every deaf individual thrives.
Cheryl’s life is a beacon of what determination can achieve. Her story—rooted in love, resilience, and service—continues to evolve, inspiring a future of equality.
Conclusion
Cheryl McCoy Gealey’s journey—from a deaf child in the Cayman Islands to a global advocate—embodies strength and purpose. Her influence on Grace Byers and countless others challenges us to rethink inclusivity. As of March 08, 2025, Cheryl’s work presses forward, breaking barriers and building bridges. Her story is a call to action: share it, celebrate it, and join the movement for a world where every voice, spoken or signed, is heard.
