Overcoming Obstacles

HOW does Amena hear?

With shopping bags in hand, music on, and her cochlear implant and hearing aid!

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

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.

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.

City Life

I love living in New York City! One of my favorite things to do is ride my bike through the streets of my big neighborhood in Queens. The feeling of exhilaration I get while riding helps me destress and forget any worries of the day.

Self-Advocacy Star

I have had numerous speech teachers in my life, but I often felt as if I was just a patient, and they didn’t really make an effort to get to know me. Thankfully, this all changed when I was matched with the perfect hearing teacher, Dina, who I am so grateful to have as part of my hearing journey. She recognizes my strengths and abilities and encourages me to go the extra mile in my work. She even inspired me to write my poem, What it Means to be an American, featured in Fun & Games. With Dina’s help, I was able to be a part of my IEP meeting starting in 7th grade. I was really proud of myself for being able to express all of my thoughts, concerns, and goals calmly and clearly in a meeting with adults, some whom I had never even met before. I went through a lot of past experiences where I could have advocated for myself and fixed a situation instead of sitting quietly. Now I know that I am fully included in the conversation, and my voice matters.

Inspiration Station

My hearing loss is not the only part of me that may appear ‘different.’ I am a Pakistani and Muslim, and I wear a headscarf. Someone who is an inspiration to me is Nakia, a character from the show Ms. Marvel on Disney+. The way that she handles challenges relating to being a Muslim is very courageous. She stays strong and firm in her religious beliefs, and she is the only one who wears a headscarf in her public school, which is very bold. Nakia inspires me to be brave like her and not allow my physical differences to be a hindrance in my path.

Goals

My dream job is to be a software computer engineer because I have a passion for technology, and I would love to work in the beautiful city of Los Angeles. I am very tech-savvy and could see myself traveling around the world to help companies fix software issues. It’s a skill I’ve built through remote learning, helping family members with tech issues, and troubleshooting my own hearing devices. My hearing loss will not get in the way of my dreams because I am willing to put my fullest effort into making them come true.

One Last Word

Having hearing loss isn’t easy. At times I get lost when people around me are speaking quickly. It’s hard to feel different from your peers, to hear differently, to speak differently. I have tried at times to erase my hearing loss by taking off my equipment or hiding my hearing devices. But in reality, without these devices life would be so much harder. They allow me to understand people and be independent. I have learned to fully embrace who I am, and I feel so fortunate and privileged to have access to this advanced hearing technology that has enhanced my life. Now I have come to believe that being hard of hearing has enabled me to unlock a rare inner strength. My hearing loss has made me into a very strong, resilient, and hard-working person. Nothing can stop me when I set my mind to something.