March 11, 2025
Washington State Hearing Loss News
Mark Your Calendar: Our Annual Community Meeting is April 26, 2025
We’re looking forward to bringing our community together again this spring. We’re planning awards, announcements, and more. Watch for more details.
New Research Opportunity for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing People
Here’s another research opportunity that could earn you $250.
We thank Contact Design, Inc. for their sponsorship.
There’s an HLAA Task Force Dedicated to Hearing Accessible Workplaces
Are you navigating your work life while dealing with a hearing loss? The HLAA has a task force working hard on your behalf.
Read more in this guest blog post from the task force leader, Michael Noble.
Meet Our Two New Board Members
Get to know Erlene VanDerMeer and Heidi Crabtree, two new HLAA-WA Board members ready to help YOU.
Legislative Update: Open-Caption Movie Bill Is Now Back in the Rules Committee
The open-caption bill, SB 5486, is now back in the Washington State Senate awaiting a floor vote. This bill will help get more open-caption movies at more and better times, ensuring greater access for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people.
We encourage you to email your state senator and ask them to vote YES and pass this bill. You can look up your district number, then find your senator’s email address on this list. Be sure to copy their legislative aid as a “cc.”
National Hearing Loss News
New Toolkits and Resources from HLAA Headquarters
Shareable, printable, and send-able resources and guides are now available on HLAA’s website. All are free and available to everyone to use as handouts, website links, and any hearing loss advocacy you may do. Check out these toolkits:
Movie Restored and Released with New Caption Technology
The movie Compensation features stories of Deaf African Americans. While it’s not a new movie, it’s now being released with all-new captions. The captions are used in “expressionistic” ways, to tell the story similar to the way old silent films did, according to Indie Wire.
Compensation plays at the Grand Illusion in Seattle on March 18. Other dates are scheduled at theaters across the country. We hope this movie will eventually stream virtually, too. You can watch the trailer here.
Symposium to Address Stigma and Hearing Loss at the 2025 HLAA Convention
There’s sometimes a stigma surrounding hearing loss. Does that play a role in why many people wait so long–an average of seven years–to get treatment?
The symposium at the HLAA Convention in Indianapolis this summer explores the hearing loss stigma with a panel of top researchers. Symposium-only passes are available.
What Does Accessibility Look Like Today?
If the war on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has you asking questions or feeling unsure, we encourage you to read this excellent commentary from our friends at Hearing Loss LIVE.
In her article, Chelle Wyatt reminds us that the ADA is still the law of the land, and that we can support one another in our self-advocacy. We welcome your comments and ideas, as always: webmaster@hearingloss-wa.org.
Hearing Challenges, but a Normal Audiogram?
Struggling to hear speech, especially in noisy places, but your audiogram is in the “normal” range? It could be subclinical hearing loss.
This article, from a Hearing Matters podcast, explores why it may be time to go beyond the audiogram to help people with this type of hearing loss.
Hearing Loops & Telecoils Spotlight
London’s National Portrait Gallery Gets Looped
We LOVE museums. The quiet spaces, the art that takes our breath away or makes us think, the gift shop filled with cool stuff.
What we DON’T love is not being able to hear the cashiers or ticket sellers.
Now, at the National Portrait Gallery in London, hearing loops will help people hear at the cafe and restaurant, in the board room, ticket desks, gift shop, and cloakrooms. Thank you, Contacta, for making the gallery such a hearing-friendly place.
Hearing Loss Support Meetings & Hearing-Friendly Events
Get In-Person Support for Your Hearing Loss
- March 14, 2025, Renton: This month, our guest speaker is Maria Kelley from the Washington Assistive Technology Act Program (WATAP). Our in-person monthly support group meets the second Friday of the month at 1pm at the Renton Senior Activity Center, 211 Burnett Avenue North. Looped and free.
- March 15, 2025, Bellingham: HLAA-Northwest Washington Chapter monthly meeting featuring Dr. Chad Ruffin presenting “Cochlear Implants: New Surgical Techniques and Processor Features.” This chapter meets the third Saturday of the month, 9:30 – Noon, at Christ the Servant Church, 2600 Lakeway Drive, Bellingham, Washington. Looped and free.
Virtual Hearing Loss Support Meeting
HOPE: April 2, 2025
Guest Speaker: Harry Wolfe, Audible Talkers
Facilitated by a caring, compassionate HOPE Crew, these monthly virtual meetings are free, live-captioned, and open to everyone with hearing loss and to their friends and family.
Our April meeting features Harry Wolfe, founder of the Audible Talkers Toastmasters. This Toastmasters group is created for people with hearing loss (see below for more info on this group.)
Read the notes from the March HOPE meeting here. The group talked about telling others about your hearing loss, neckloops for traveling, and more.
HOPE meets the first Wednesday of each month at 4:00 pm.
Toastmasters Online for People with Hearing Loss
Need a boost in confidence? Some friendly coaching to improve your speaking skills?
If so, you might like to join the Audible Talkers Toastmasters, which is specifically designed for people with hearing loss. This friendly group meets twice a month, online via Zoom, the first and third Mondays from 6-7:15 pm Arizona time. Their next meeting is April 7, 2025. Everyone is welcome.
Access the meeting at zoom.audibletalkerstoastmasters.com. Questions? Contact Christy Abrams (c.abrams@acdhh.az.gov) or Harry Wolfe (hwolfeaz@gmail.com).
Note: Harry Wolfe will be our guest speaker at our April HOPE meeting. Stay tuned for more details.
Stay Involved with HLAA and HLAA-WA
We’re glad you’re part of our community.
What more can you do to support people with hearing loss?
HLAA-WA does not endorse any technology, nor does exclusion suggest disapproval. We support the full spectrum of hearing technologies for everyone. As an all-volunteer run organization, 100% of every dollar donated is directed to our programs. HLAA-WA is an IRS non-profit 501(c)(3) organization; all donations are tax-deductible as allowed by relevant IRS code.