Philanthropy

My Hearing Loss Journey: From Isolation to Advocacy and Service

Ib Dabo speaking on transforming hearing-loss stigma into strength at the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) Convention.

Living With Hearing Loss Without Knowing It

or at least a decade, I lived with hearing loss without knowing I was experiencing it.

I continued pursuing my dreams, building my career, and navigating the challenges of everyday life without fully understanding how hearing loss was affecting me.

When I was eventually diagnosed, I began to recognize some of the communication challenges I had experienced over the years.

But understanding my hearing loss was only part of the journey.

For years after my diagnosis, I believed I was alone. I didn’t know there was a community of people who shared similar experiences or organizations dedicated to helping people with hearing loss navigate their lives.

I continued moving forward, but there was so much I had yet to discover.

Sometimes, one of the greatest barriers we face is not knowing that the support, resources, and community we need already exist.

Ib Dabo featured on the cover of Hearing Life magazine,
published by the Hearing Loss Association of America.

Discovering HLAA: I Wasn’t Alone

Years after my diagnosis, I discovered the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA).

I was excited to learn that there was an entire community of people who understood what it meant to live with hearing loss.

For so long, I had believed I was navigating this journey alone. Suddenly, I discovered people who shared similar experiences, understood the challenges I faced, and were working to improve the lives of others with hearing loss.

It was an important turning point for me.

I wanted to become involved, connect with others, learn from their experiences, and contribute to the community that I had only recently discovered.

That desire eventually led me to serve on the Board of Directors of the Hearing Loss Association of America.

What began as a personal search for understanding became an opportunity to help advance the organization’s mission and serve others navigating their own hearing-loss journeys.

I had discovered a community I didn’t know existed. Now, I wanted to help ensure that others knew they were not alone.

From Personal Experience to Public Service

My involvement with HLAA deepened my understanding of the challenges people with hearing loss encounter in their workplaces, communities, places of worship, and public institutions.

I came to appreciate that hearing loss is not simply an individual experience. The environments in which we live, work, and interact can either create barriers or help remove them.

In 2022, I was appointed to the Georgia Commission for the Deaf or Hard of Hearing.

Serving as a commissioner has given me another opportunity to work alongside fellow commissioners, advocates, public officials, and community leaders to advance accessibility and improve communication access.

Through this work, I have continued to advocate for environments where people who are deaf or hard of hearing can participate fully, contribute their talents, and pursue opportunities without unnecessary communication barriers.

My commitment to advocacy grew from a simple realization: no one should have to feel alone or excluded because of hearing loss.

Ib Dabo being sworn in by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp as a Commissioner for the Deaf or Hard of Hearing in August 2022.

Advancing Accessibility and Communication Access

My advocacy focuses on helping create environments where people with hearing loss have meaningful access to communication, information, and opportunities.

Through my work with the Georgia Commission for the Deaf or Hard of Hearing and my involvement with HLAA, I have supported efforts to raise awareness, improve accessibility, and encourage organizations to consider the needs of people with hearing loss.

One area of particular importance to me is hearing assistive technology.

I have advocated for hearing loops, Auracast broadcast audio, and other assistive listening solutions that can help people with hearing loss communicate and participate more effectively in public spaces.

My work has included efforts to improve accessibility in churches and at the Georgia State Capitol, where I have helped advance discussions about hearing-access solutions for the legislative chambers.

I also recognize the importance of captioning, sign language interpretation, and other communication accommodations that address different needs and preferences.

Accessibility is not about promoting a single technology or assuming that one solution works for everyone.

It is about understanding people’s needs, evaluating available options, and creating environments where individuals can participate with dignity and independence.

When we remove communication barriers, we create opportunities for more people to contribute, connect, and lead.

Community, Family, and Shared Purpose

Discovering HLAA introduced me to more than an advocacy organization. It connected me with a community of individuals and families whose experiences continue to inspire and encourage me.

Through conventions, community events, advocacy initiatives, and personal relationships, I have met people who have helped me understand hearing loss in ways I could not have imagined when I first received my diagnosis.

My family has also been part of this journey.

Participating together in the HLAA Walk4Hearing has given us opportunities to support the hearing-loss community, raise awareness, and connect with others who share our commitment to accessibility and inclusion.

These experiences remind me that advocacy is not only about policies, technologies, or public institutions.

It is also about people, relationships, and ensuring that others have access to the community and support they need.

Ib Dabo and his family participating in the HLAA Walk4Hearing in support of hearing-loss awareness and accessibility.

Helping Others Recognize What’s Possible

Looking back, I recognize how much my hearing-loss journey has shaped my understanding of leadership, service, and human possibility.

For years, I lived with hearing loss without knowing it. After my diagnosis, I spent years believing I was alone.

Discovering a community of people who understood my experiences changed how I saw my circumstances and what I believed was possible.

I want others experiencing hearing loss to know that their circumstances do not define the full measure of who they are capable of becoming. With access to the right resources, support, and community, they can continue pursuing meaningful lives, relationships, and opportunities.

There are communities to connect with, resources to explore, technologies that can improve communication access, and people who are working to create more inclusive environments.

My journey has also taught me that recognizing our own possibilities is only part of the story.

We have an opportunity to use our experiences to help others recognize theirs.

I once believed I was alone in my hearing-loss journey. Today, I have the privilege of helping build a world where others don’t have to feel that way.