By Brittany Comegna, California H&V In 2019, I submitted an article to CA HV entitled “What I Wish I Knew When I was Sixteen Going Through the College Search Process.” And, now, I sit here attempting to amend this original…
Interview with Rachel Zemach, Author
In my determination to do something about what I saw in education, and my own experience as a Deaf teacher, I wrote a book about it called The Butterfly Cage. Rachel Zemach, Author Interview by Johanna Wonderly, California H&V Please…
Change is Inevitable
by Cora Shahid, California H&V Life is full of transitions (and that can be scary at times). Johanna Wonderly recently announced she is stepping aside as the ASTra Coordinator in California, serving from the start of the program until February…
#TogetherThursday
#TogetherThursday is a weekly resource blog that was created by CA Hands & Voices Advisory Board Member Leslie Manjarrez out of the early shelter in place period.
This blog is tailored to highlight free resources and topics to parents of Deaf/Hard of Hearing children through videos, articles, links to further reading, activities and more. #TogetherThursday has grown to feature monthly themes that have included Deaf Awareness, School Readiness, Deaf LGBTQ+, and Seasonal DHH supports.
Please reach out to suggest future topics, resources and individuals to feature! Contact us: IG/FB or email.
Ms. Leslie looks forward to hearing from you!
Stories of DHH Adults
Welcome to our Deaf and Hard of Hearing Stories Collection. This section is dedicated to stories written by Deaf and Hard of Hearing adults—shared with the families of children who are DHH. These narratives offer insight, encouragement, and lived experiences to support you on your parenting journey.
“Follow your instincts. That’s where true wisdom manifests itself.”
Oprah Winfrey
Working Families Need Different Supports
By Kasey Cain, California H&V Nothing went according to plan with my oldest son’s birth. He was sunny-side up and his heart rate dropped seven times in labor. After many attempts to reposition, I finally had a C-section. He didn’t…
Living with TCS
Alysa was born with TCS, and bilateral Microtia-Atresia. Treacher Collins Syndrome is a rare genetic condition that affects the way the face develops; it is estimated that it occurs in approximately 1 in 50,000 live births. Microtia is a birth defect that occurs 1 in 10,000 live births, and Atresia is absence or underdevelopment of the ear canal and middle ear structures. She has had over 9 surgeries, years of orthodontics, and speech therapy in school. She has moderate to severe hearing loss and wears bilateral bone-anchored hearing aids.
Bringing ASL Home for Families
Razi M. Zarchy, MS, CCC-SLP and Leah C. Geer, PhD
Our names are Razi Zarchy and Leah Geer. Razi is a hearing speech-language pathologist (SLP) with over 10 years of experience in deaf education. Leah is a deaf Associate Professor of Deaf Studies at California State University, Sacramento. She has 10 years of experience teaching American Sign Language (ASL). Together, we wrote the innovative, family-centered curriculum called ASL at Home. This is our story.
Finding Identity: Life with Kacey
By Marie Morgan, California H&V
I will always remember the day that I drove away from the hospital with my newborn knowing that she just failed the hearing test again and had a high likelihood of a mild to moderate loss. I looked at her, thrilled to be taking a baby home after suffering a loss two years prior. I knew that she would have to deal with this hearing loss her whole life, but I wouldn’t let it define her and I most certainly would make it her super power. That is exactly what I have tried to do every day since.
The Emotional Side of Progressive Hearing Loss for Parents
By Michelle Hu, Au.D. CCC-A
“Mommy, I can’t hear.”
No parent ever wants to hear their child cry out in distress. These are words that my mom and dad had to hear more than a few times as I grew up. The very first time, my mom says she sprung out of bed in a panic — she didn’t know what to do. She wasn’t a physician nor was she an audiologist, so she was left to wonder – Was it just a cold? Was it an ear infection? Something worse?