“I think that I did it to myself. I played rhythm guitar in a church band. We had our amplifiers sitting right beside us. We wanted to be heard, so they were turned up real loud. All the years of playing in the band, and … Continue readingOpening lines of communication with deaf, hard-of-hearing
“I’ve played the piano since I was 3 years old and the harp since I was 11. I teach and I love music. “I was in my early 20s when I started losing my hearing. When you’re a professional musician with a hearing loss, it’s … Continue readingDeafness not able to silence her music
“We got her as a puppy, and she was a very bad little girl at first. The people we got her from would not even let her out of the car because they were afraid she’d get loose and run off. But we fell in … Continue readingDeaf dog, Angel, becomes part of the family
It’s not always easy. But as the mom in a family of six, Amanda Vela tries her best to spread the love around. “One of my biggest challenges is time,” she said. “With multiple children at different ages, it’s hard to find the time for … Continue readingDaughter with cerebral palsy inspires mom
“I learned American Sign Language in high school and was part of the Singing Hands group, where we performed songs in sign language. I loved the upbeat energy and the positivity of it. Being able to reach out to people who aren’t able to communicate … Continue readingSign language helps her connect with others