Jia Billadeau

With masks and social distancing becoming a norm in many aspects of life, the pandemic has altered the way that many students have had to communicate with each other. This is an issue that junior Jia Billadeau has attempted to overcome, as she has been an advocate for the deaf, Deaf, and hard-of-hearing students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Billadeau was born with bilateral profound hearing loss and is unable to hear in both ears. She remains open to discussing her hearing disability in order to help ease communication with those around her.

“Sometimes, I have to advocate myself by asking people to slow down or repeat what they are saying. I let people know that I am Deaf,” Billadeau said. “There are some days that I wasn’t able to overcome such as when going to the store and I would be looking at things, people behind me would say, ‘excuse me’ but I wouldn’t be able to hear because of loud noises out there. So, I have my family watching out for me when it happens.”

In the past, Billadeau had utilized lipreading as a means of communication and understanding others. Billadeau’s ear implant, the Auditory Brainstem Impact (ABI) helps her in hearing what’s happening in the environment around her. Despite the implant, cloth masks have hindered this means of communication for Billadeau.

“The most challenging part of communicating with others who are wearing masks is not having access to see their face such as their mouth and face expression because these two are key to deaf and hard of hearing people and me. They help us understand their topic,” Billadeau said. “If you are talking about something that made you happy, you would have a happy and smiling face; that would help us get along well with you and be able to talk with no misunderstandings.”

Billadeau is adopting a dog next year to help her with communicating with others. The dog, which will be adopted from the organization 4 Paws for Ability, will help her with everyday situations and alert her of an emergency, should she not have her ear implant in. 

“I think the most important thing for someone to understand about me is that I can talk, and I am flexible to whatever a person needs to communicate with me. I am willing to work and make our communication easier,” Billadeau said. 

Billadeau has faced many challenges as a result of her hearing disability, and now due to the issue of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Billadeau says the ability and needs to advocate for herself has helped in growing character.

“I believe my hearing disability has made me stronger because it helps me to grow my confidence toward people and myself, and I am still building up my confidence,” Billadeau said. “It helps me to be self-advocate because it will help me after I graduate from high school.”