Who We Are
We’re a community of peers helping ourselves and each other
“Hope flourishes in community, not isolation. So, as we organize chapters, we must understand and accept diverse interest, points of view, and lifestyles, but all these differences can be united around our belief in the basic principles of human dignity and the justice we all seek.”
Rocky Stone
HLAA Founder
Hope flourishes when we connect
Our mission: To open the world of communication to people with hearing loss living in Washington State by providing each other with support, information, education, and advocacy.
HLAA was founded on the belief that people with hearing loss can help themselves and one another to participate fully and successfully in society. Inspired by the work of HLAA founder Rocky Stone, we carry forward his dream of empowering people with hearing loss and building a hearing-friendly world.
“Whether you connect with us in a digital world or at an in-person event, you are part of a community. What better basis can we have for hope? We are wired for sound but our hearts and minds are meant to be in community.”
Barbara Kelley
HLAA Executive Director
Live the life you want to live
Here in our community, you can find the support and information you need to feel less scared and alone, to ask for hearing access at work, make that first audiology appointment, learn how to stream audio from your phone, or help your church install a hearing loop. And so much more.
HLAA-WA also works to make communication access an easy, automatic part of our state’s infrastructure. We remove barriers by showing businesses and venues how to become inclusive and hearing accessible. And we advocate at the state, local, and federal policy level so that people with hearing loss can participate equally in all aspects of life.
Regardless of how well you hear today, you can find hope, friendship, and community with us.
When you open a door for others, you sometimes open doors for yourself.
Donald L. Hicks
HLAA-WA is a separate, all volunteer-led nonprofit affiliated with the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) in Rockville, Maryland.