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Amena's Faves H MUSIC Taylor Swift Olivia Rodrigo Harry Styles
H MOVIES High School Musical Wonder H FOODS McDonald’s Samosas Afghani food H PLACES The beach My Grandma’s house
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6
With shopping bags in hand, music on, and her cochlear implant and hearing aid! All About Me Hi, I’m Amena, and I am a 14-year-old eighth grader from Queens, New York. I love fashion, sports, technology, spending time with family and friends in the city, and expressing my creativity.
Hearing My Way
H TV Raven’s Home Ms. Marvel
Favorite Q
H W does Amena hear?
I was born with bilateral hearing loss and started wearing hearing aids when I was four-years-old. I remember how excited I was to put stickers all over my aids. When I was seven, I got my cochlear implant, and ever since then, I have been upgrading my equipment and working on auditory training for both my hearing aid and cochlear implant. Having access to the newest and most advanced hearing equipment released exclusively for people like me is pretty cool and has definitely inspired my interest in technology and software. My favorite feature of all is Bluetooth, which allows me to stream shows, videos, and music straight to my cochlear implant. Unlike others who have to put on and take off headphones or earbuds, mine come attached with my ‘ears.’
Overcoming Obstacles One of the most frustrating things about hearing loss is feeling like I cannot do something on my own. For instance, sometimes I feel like I can’t go to the store by myself in fear that I may not be able to communicate clearly enough or be able to understand those around me. It makes me feel like I’m not capable of handling new situations independently. Thankfully, I have a support system of family and teachers who help build my confidence, skills, and independence to reach my fullest potential.
Amena and her brother Hasan pose for the camera. Brotherly Love My older brother, Hasan, and I are very close. Even though sometimes he gets annoyed if I ask him to repeat something for me more than once, I know that he is always looking out for me and there to help me. When we watch movies together, he always remembers to turn on the captions for me, which is very sweet, because usually I have to remind people. If someone is talking to me but I don’t understand them, Hasan will repeat what they said for me without me asking. He can always tell when I need helpthat’s what big brothers are for.
Shop til I Drop! I am really into fashion and the latest trends. I love to express my personality and creativity through my clothes and accessories. I can spend hours at the mall, just looking through the endless options of clothes. I have struggled with anxiety when it comes to going shopping on my own, especially during and after the pandemic, when masks prevent the ability to lipread. Nevertheless, I do not let my anxiety or hearing loss get in the way of my love of shopping.
