People of Georgian: Hearing impairment leads employee to embrace self-advocacy
People of Georgian: Hearing impairment leads employee to embrace self-advocacy
Oct. 30, 2024
What’s your story?
The Georgian community is full of unique, inspiring perspectives – and we’re sharing them as part of an ongoing series. October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, so we caught up with Melissa Smith, a Georgian employee with a hearing impairment, who shares her story of self-advocacy.
People of Georgian: Meet Melissa Smith
Growing up with an undiagnosed hearing impairment in the mid-70s and early 80s shaped my self-perception…my lived experience during that time was that people with disabilities were considered “incapable.” This was my first encounter with bias and ableism.
I wasn’t outfitted with hearing aids until Grade 2 at seven years old and am now deaf in the left ear with moderate loss in the right ear.
Turning career challenges into self-advocacy
Being hard of hearing doesn’t just change how others see you, it also impacts your earning power. For example, because I had hearing challenges, it took me an extra year to finish elementary school and two extra years to complete a four-year degree in university. This affects my income in various ways:
I was three years older than many of my classmates before I even started my career, thus limiting what I earn in my lifetime.
I have limited access to certain job fields, which restricts career options and advancement.
I had challenges accessing resources and support in the 80s and 90s, which affected skills development and the time it took to earn a postsecondary credential.
I have communication challenges, which sometimes impacts personal and professional relationships and the ability to have spontaneous conversations.
Because of my lived experience, I’m driven to tackle disability issues through better awareness and education, support, and advocacy work that will improve outcomes for hard of hearing people. I’ve also become increasingly better at self-advocacy.
Empowering voices
I have been emboldened by more recent efforts to support people with disabilities through the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging initiatives.
It makes it easier to tell your story somehow, knowing that you’re supported.
I may not be able to hear everything, but I listen very deeply in other ways. If I had to explain it, it’s like seeing with your ears and hearing with your eyes.
American poet Alice Duer Miller says listening isn’t just about talking; it’s about taking vigorous interest in what’s being told to us. It also means using the other senses to compensate or simply using them differently.
I want employers to know they shouldn’t be scared to hire employees with disabilities. We have different perspectives and other compensatory skills, and that’s a resource to really lean into.
Looking back at the journey
When I look back at all my experiences now at almost 50 years old, I see how much I’ve accomplished despite countless roadblocks and I say, “Wow, I did that. It was hard. It took me longer than my counterparts, but I did it.”
The time I graduated university despite dismal educational attainment rates for the hard of hearing; it took me six years to complete a four-year degree…but I did it!
The time I found employment in my chosen field despite dismal employment attainment rates for the hard of hearing…I did it!
The many times I encountered misconceptions and bias. I self-advocated, I showed my worth – it was frustrating, it was mentally and emotionally exhausting…but I did it!
That’s something no one can take from you.
Same reality, different outlook
Perhaps because I have so much practice countering misconceptions and bias as a hard of hearing person, it’s kind of my world view now – it’s happened in each stage of my life in different ways, and it’s going to happen again, so I’ve had to get comfortable with being uncomfortable and doing self-advocacy work.
I used to think, “Well, if nothing is going to change, I may as well hold my tongue.” But now I’ve realized that nothing can be changed until it’s faced.
My new credo? It doesn’t matter how slowly change happens, as long as you don’t stop…and then don’t stop until you’re good and proud.
Melissa Smith (she/her), a full-time employee with Georgian’s Marketing, Communications and Recruitment department at the Barrie Campus.
