Cupertino Event for Students with Hearing Loss on Saturday

My name is Zina Jawadi, and I am a hearing-impaired Bay Area high-school junior.

When I was 3-1/2 years old, I was diagnosed with hearing loss and fitted with hearing aids. Because hearing loss affects language development, at that time, I only spoke a few words. I then underwent more than seven years of intensive speech therapy, spending hours in the car every week to get to the various speech therapists all over the Bay Area and many additional hours in speech therapy sessions just to learn to pronounce basic sounds, such as the letter ‘r’, that I could not hear.

Over the years, my hearing loss has shaped my identity; I have developed an intense passion in hearing loss causes, hearing science, and ear biology.

Last summer, I discovered the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA, www.hearingloss.org), which is a leading national nonprofit hearing loss organization representing people with hearing loss.

HLAA has about 200 local and state chapters and affiliates. Since then, I have become a member of HLAA and of the Hearing Loss Association of Silicon Valley (www.hearingloss-sv.org).

In addition, I became a member of the board of trustees as well as secretary of the Hearing Loss Association of California (www.hearinglossca.org).

California has about 15,000 school students with hearing loss, both hard of hearing and deaf.

The Silicon Valley has about 1,500 to 2,000 students with hearing loss. Hearing loss is sometimes called an invisible disability, because people with hearing loss do not have visible signs of disability.

Furthermore, hearing loss can be quite an isolating experience. Unfortunately, many students with hearing loss do not know any other students or people of any age with hearing loss.

For example, I did not know anyone with hearing loss except my late grandfather and one neighbor, but I did not know any people my age with hearing loss.

When I discovered the Hearing Loss Association, my life changed, because I finally felt that I am not alone, that I am not the only one with hearing loss.

The Hearing Loss Association has enriched my life beyond imagination. I would like students with hearing loss to meet other students with hearing loss, because I think their lives will change like mine did.

To accomplish this goal, I am organizing a social gathering for Bay Area students with hearing loss in Cupertino on Saturday, April 6, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

This event will bring together high-school, middle-school, and college students with hearing loss for entertainment, fun, food, socializing, and sharing experiences.

The gathering is sponsored by the Hearing Loss Association of Silicon Valley.

I am also active with Walk4Hearing (www.walk4hearing.org), a national walk event sponsored by HLAA to raise awareness of hearing loss and raise funds for hearing loss causes.

I am participating as a team captain in the Long Beach walk on June 9. My walk team, Team Zina, needs sponsors. Donations are tax deductible and will be used by HLAA for worthy hearing loss causes.

Please visit the HLA Silicon Valley Youth Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/HLASVYUTH.

Please watch this two-minute video about Walk4Hearing: http://youtu.be/E8ZQZcWWYt0