living with hearing loss
hearing health foundati o n
True Talent Comes in All Forms
I was flipping through the pages of this magazine, one after another, and was surprised to see that many of the photos did not show people with visible hearing aids. It spurred me to reach out and share my story, because I feel that the acting and modeling industries lack the inclusion of people who really use hearing aids. By Jan Marcos Andrade
I was born in Florida, where I still live. Twenty-eight years ago newborn hearing screening wasn’t mandatory. My parents recall that they didn’t feel it necessary or that they were advised to do it. When I was a toddler, my parents noticed I did not respond to what they said, including my name. They brought me to the doctor, who put me through a series of tests and determined I was nearly deaf, with moderate to severe hearing loss in both ears. I was 2 ½ years old. My parents were devastated, not knowing how I would be able to grow up “normal.” Would I ever speak? Would I need to be homeschooled?
Would I be able to get a job later on? They were determined to get me the best help possible. I saw more doctors and had more tests, and then was given the precious gift of hearing aids.
Front and Center
In grade school I wore a big rectangular device strapped to my chest with wires attached to a hearing piece into my ears. It turned heads in the hallways and classroom, and many students asked what it was. However, in third grade there was one student who laughed and said I was weird because of the device I had to wear. I felt extremely hurt for months afterward. But it pushed me to prove to myself that I am just as capable as anyone else. I decided to join the after-school drama and chorus clubs. These two enrichment activities opened my eyes—I saw how I could hone my voice and acting skills despite learning how to speak at a later age than other students. In special education I had been practicing my speech for years, stuttering occasionally. By practicing acting and singing in these clubs, before I knew it I was placed front and center of the chorus and in plays, and at school spirit rallies and events. Even in prekindergarten, I became the announcer for our talent show. I saw what I could accomplish and how far I could go. Since then, I’ve remained interested in acting and using my Jan Marcos Andrade has been a voice, body language, and behavior perfomer since prekindergarten, when to portray a character. When I watch he used a body-worn hearing device. actors in films, I always consider how their emotions and actions are Left: Andrade with his family.
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