Julia Newell founded “Hear You Know Me” on the idea that emotional, relational, and team intelligence, leadership, and self-advocacy skill-building are gateways to people with hearing loss and disabilities’ equity and systemic success. As a student with a rare form of hearing loss, first diagnosed in fifth grade, but not effectively treated until her Junior year of high school, Julia sees her experience with hearing loss as an example of a broader systemic and cultural stigma and misunderstanding of what the disability community is.

Having grown up attending a highly rigorous school system, and changing schools twice during the pandemic to accommodate her hearing loss needs under masks, zoom, and social distancing, Julia’s first-hand experience has led her to better understand the social, physical, academic, and pandemic inequity the disability community faces. Meanwhile, Julia has seen how her hearing loss has enabled her and other people with disabilities to hone their skills as better listeners, communicators, observers of interactions and non-verbal communication, problem-solvers, and collaborators. She believes that they tend to appreciate the value of each person’s contribution, are more resilient, and more empathetic.

Recognizing these unique strengths of the disability community and the kind of leaders the world needs to solve today’s complex problems, especially under the pandemic, Julia started this initiative at the beginning of quarantine. Julia is thrilled to continue developing “Hear You Know Me” and work with her partner SurePeople, and Bates College to help revolutionize the current position of the hearing loss/ disability community.