The Invisible Disability | Zina Jawadi

Last year, I thought of starting a disability club, but Mr. Williamson, Harker's high school Dean of Students, wisely recommended a more ambitious Disability Awareness Program instead.  Inspired by Mr. Williamson's suggestion, I reached out to Dr. Vinton Cerf, the inventor of the internet who also has hearing loss, to invite him to speak at Harker.  Despite his busy schedule and his living and working in the East Coast, Dr. Cerf graciously accepted.  On January 11, 2013, the Disability Awareness Program celebrated its first event, a speech by Dr. Cerf.  The assembly was a resounding success and a huge hit with both faculty and students.  A few days later, the program's second activity followed:  a hearing loss simulation spelling quiz.  The assembly and activity taught me the value of passion.  I am hearing impaired, I am dedicated to disability causes, and I always feel compelled to advocate for the civil liberties of people with disabilities.  Driven by my love of advocacy and disability rights, I felt ignited by a force larger than my own capabilities to achieve what seemed like a big task of organizing an event of this magnitude.  For the first time, I witnessed hundreds of students and tens of faculty seriously moved and influenced by something so dear to my heart.

I would like to thank Dr. Cerf, Mr. Williamson, Mr. Keller, Ms. Kohan, and many others who helped make this event such a success.  Hearing loss is often described as an invisible disability; however, this week, hearing loss was anything but invisible.  Rather, hearing loss was the impetus in changing people's attitudes about disabilities.