The Deaf Way II was an international deaf cultural festival held on July 8-13, 2002, including conferences, speeches, theatrical and dance performances, and art exhibitions. Most of the events were hosted on the Gallaudet campus or at the Washington Conference Center, but there were also events held at public venues through the District of Columbia, including the Smithsonian Institution, the Millennium Arts Center, the National Zoo, and the National Arboretum.

The Deaf Way held almost 200 presentations and workshops, including 17 plenary speakers, and 32 international theater and dance companies were chosen from hundreds of applicants to perform. The exhibition hall at the Washington Conference Center had over 150 booths, and dozens of international artists were showcased, including three artists-in-residence, Chuck Baird, Abelardo Parra Jimenez, and Sander Blondeel. Almost 10,000 attendees visited Gallaudet and the conference center, and an estimated 40,000 visitors saw at least one of the events held around the city.