At the next meeting of the NYC Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America, Vanessa AineLeigh Kelly (right) will talk about meditation, mindful movement (yoga, etc.), and immersion in nature as ways of coping with hearing loss. Speaking from her own experience, she will show how these have been profoundly transformative for her. The audience will be invited to share their own experiences.
Ms. Kelly is a deaf disability advocate, speaker, and writer who practices narrative advocacy in the belief that sharing our stories is a change catalyst. A practicing corporate lawyer, Vanessa serves in several disability-related leadership roles. She is the co-head of her employer’s Disability Network, where she creates educational programming and training, participates in disability recruiting initiatives, and implements disability-inclusive policies and procedures. Vanessa serves on the Board of Directors of HLAA-NYC where she is also an active chapter member. She mentors professionals with disabilities and was recently selected to be a mentor in the Lime Connect Foundation Program for Young Professionals. She served on the faculty for the Practicing Law Institute’s Diversity & Inclusion in Law Practice 2022 symposium. Vanessa has been featured on NPR and in other media publications. She is currently featured in the Center for Hearing and Communication and NYU’s Cochlear Implant Center’s marketing campaigns.
Vanessa is a certified teacher of mindfulness meditation, contemplative nature practices, and Kripalu yoga. In addition, she teaches meditation in corporate and Buddhist retreat environments as well as at the Nalanda Institute where she serves on the Board of Directors and equity leadership team. Dedicated to environmental conservation, she is also a Level Two Mindful Outdoor Guide through the Kripalu School of Outdoor Leadership and a New York State volunteer Master Naturalist. She is proud to serve on the Board of Directors at Wonder & Grow, a West Virginia non-profit providing immersive and educational nature experiences for children and their parents through curiosity-driven exploration and mindfulness practices. She works to make meditation, mindful movement, and the outdoors more accessible to the disability community.
If you would like to join us for this captioned program, click here. After registering, you will receive an email with the Zoom link.
Can’t Hear? We are here for you!
The New York City Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America is a vibrant, diverse community dedicated to helping people with hearing loss lead more satisfying and productive lives. At the chapter’s monthly meetings, speakers address topics such as hearing aids and hearing-aid alternatives, assistive technology, interpersonal strategies, and advocacy initiatives. Those of you who are interested can find information about our organization on our chapter website by clicking here.
