Hearing loss affects more than your ears
Did you know that there is a high rate of hearing loss among the Hispanic and Latino populations in the U.S. Untreated hearing loss can lead to decreased cognitive functionality in the same population. It is important to remove any barriers that prevent you from seeking treatment. Inspirational stories are a great place to begin. If you’re in the area, come visit Pensacola’s best hearing center.
Let’s take a look at important Hispanics and Latinos living with hearing loss to mark National Hispanic Heritage Month (USA) which starts in September.
Alex Lacamoire
Music director for Hamilton, In The Heights and Wicked
At the age of 4, this Cuban American musician natural started studying classical piano. His family began to speculate that he might have hearing loss. He performed in the largest concert hall in Merida at the Autonomous University of Yucatan, Mexico at age 13. He was in high school when he first had hearing aids, but he refused to wear them. He would later earn Kennedy Center Honors from Berklee College of Music and win numerous Tonys, many Grammys and other notable awards.
Influential printmaker and painter
Goya is the most important Spanish artist of the late 1700s and early 1800s. His work is a reflection of the modern art movement. He was actually responsible for the rise of Pablo Picasso and Edouard Manet. He was working as a court-painting artist in the royal household when he became deaf. He would become the first court painter for King Charles IV in 1799, just a few short years later.
Luis Miguel
A wildly popular performer and singer
Luis Miguel, a Puerto Rican-born Mexican musician, is widely considered to be the most successful Latin American artist. His generation’s only Latin-music artist has not been a hit with English-speaking audiences in the 1990s. He now suffers from tinnitus after decades of performing. Tinnitus is a condition where a ringing or buzzing sound, or any other noise, can be heard without external sources.
Natalia Martins
Professional player
Brazilian Natalia Martins was just 6 years old when hearing aids were first fitted to her for 70% of her hearing loss. She is Brazil’s first ever volleyball player with hearing loss. Before joining a premier league in Romania, she played for several top Brazilian teams. She is the brand ambassador for Sonova. In 2020, a short film was released about her life.
Stephanie Nogueras
Actor, mentor, consultant
The Puerto Rican American actor, Maria Cruz, was born profoundly deaf. After graduating from Rochester Institute of Technology in 2005, she moved to Hollywood where she landed a role as Natalie Pierce, a recurring character, on Switched At Birth, and one episode of Grimm. Acting has been her passion since then. She teaches American Sign Language (ASL) and mentors deaf families in Los Angeles County.
Dr. Robert Davila
Gallaudet University President (2007-2009).
Robert Davila was born in California to Mexican American parents. He received sporadic education as his family moved with the seasons. At the age of 8, he suffered from severe spinal meningitis. He was then sent north to the California School for the Deaf. There he flourished. He was able to learn both English and ASL and graduated with high honors. He went on to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree as well as a doctorate. After a lifetime of teaching and administrative experience, he was elected president of Gallaudet, a leading university for the deaf/hard of hearing.
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