Julie Chavez is the president of the Illinois Association of the Deaf and previously worked as a Deaf Services Coordinator at the Dupage Center for Independent Living. I interviewed her recently to learn more about her life growing up and the job she currently has:
Tell me a bit about yourself growing up. What was it like growing up in your family?
I was born in Jacksonville, Illinois. My mother had rubella during her first trimester of her pregnancy with me. Doctor wanted my Mom to terminate the pregnancy- Mom refused. (Thank goodness! Her life would be dull without me!! LOL!) Once I arrived into the arrive into the world on November 3rd, I looked “normal” so there was no need to worry until later. Mom noticed that I wasn’t responding like my older siblings would. Doctor said there was nothing wrong. That wasn’t how my mom felt. She knew something wasn’t quite right with me because I wasn’t speaking and I wasn’t responding like “normal” kids do at the age of 2 and 3 years of age. Finally, the Doctor told my mom that I was “slow”. Mom didn’t believe that but in the mean time, my Dad was transferred to Chicago so we moved to West Chicago, Illinois. I began Kindergarten at Gary School- I recall vividly, being in a class room and looking at everyone- watching their mouths move but I wasn’t understanding a single word, I recall feeling isolated, feeling the fear, I recall every moment as if it were yesterday.. I was notorious for escaping the school building and running home… My Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Messer, bless her heart had the patience of a saint with me!! Mom met a woman who noticed that I exhibited the same symptoms as her son who was just diagnosed as having mild to moderate hearing loss. This lady recommended that I go get a complete hearing evaluation done at Northern Illinois University. Well, I only had two words in my vocabulary so a complete hearing evaluation was not possible until I learned my vocabulary. I spent all summer with the lady who told mom about NIU learning my vocabulary and by the end of the summer- I had a vocubulary of 500 words! I still have all of the stuff that this lady used as teaching tools!! Finally, hearing evaluation was performed and I was diagnosed with mild to moderate hearing loss. I remember being fitted with a hearing aid- I HATED IT!! It was overwhelming for me because there were noises that I never heard before and by this time, I was sent to schools that provided programs for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. I was notorious for throwing my hearing aids out the bus window until Mom became smart and had me fork over the hearing aids to the busdriver… My poor Dad had to pay for two new hearing aids out of his own pocket to replace the ones I tossed out the bus window.. No insurance covered hearing aids (don’t get me started on this topic!) By the way, my mom has pictures of me one prior to being diagnosed with hearing loss and one after the diagnosis and wearing hearing aids.
Growing up, I have 2 brothers and 3 sisters. My life was spent getting on the bus by 6 a.m. and not coming home until about 5:30-6:00 pm. I never really got to spend a lot of time with my siblings because I was gone majority of the day. Weekends, this is where I spent quality time with family- all were told not to learn sign language because the doctors, audiologists, school team felt that my parents should raise me oral- sign language was not needed it was only for the deaf not for the hearing impaired. My parents did what they were told… I love my family but I always felt excluded because it was difficult for me to keep up with conversation at the dinner table, so what I did to survive was “mimic” everything they did. Today, my family wishes they learned sign language and I tell them that they still can!! Even today when we have family gatherings- my husband and I still get lost with conversations at the dinner table- my family forgets that we can’t hear everything; our boys usually will keep us up to speed.. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family and I have tons of fond memories of stuff we did.
Where did you attend school and what were the school years like?
I went to Lincoln School, Hammerschmidt School in Lombard, Emerson School in Elmhurst, Westfield Jr. High in Bloomingdale, Wheaton Christian in West Chicago and then Hinsdale South in Darien. School years prior to Middle School were tough because there were debates over the Deaf and hard of hearing- should they be segregated or not.. one year, D/HH were together then the next- we were separated… it was a rough time until they realized that those of us who were oral needed to learn sign language in order to communicate with our friends who were profoundly deaf. Middle school was great, then I wanted to see if I could attend a hearing school- I attended Wheaton Christian High School located in West Chicago- did not receive any accommodations and that was the absolute worse year of my school career. I felt isolated, alone and regretted my decision. However, I had one friend, Martha Lefley, who took me under her wing and helped me with my homework and to keep up with the class.. with out her, I would have failed my freshman year. I begged to go to Hinsdale South, my mom was disappointed but she realized that I know what I needed and she realized that I needed to be with peers who are also deaf or hard of hearing. Began my sophmore year at Hinsdale South and I was a happy camper, I finally felt like I “belonged”. Hinsdale South was crucial in preparing me for life after high school. I still keep in touch with several teachers. THANK YOU HINSDALE SOUTH!! This is also where I met my hubby!! (That’s another story for later!)
When you were younger, what did you want to be when you “grew up?”
I always wanted to be a nurse. Growing up in my neighborhood, my friends would come to me if they got hurt- I would run and get my first aid kit and fix them up.. During my high school days, I was known as the “momma” of class of 1983, why? if anyone had a problem, I was their confidant.. as you can see this is where it led me to who I am today.
Where did you attend college and what did you major in? What degree(s) do you have today?
My college dreams were shattered when I applied for the nursing program 3 times at NIU- was told that I would never be a nurse because I was hard of hearing. NTID and Galludet didn’t offer nursing programs at the time. I gave up and I wish I didn’t- and I regret it deeply. I never did go to college until after I married and had two kids. I’m still working on pursuing my associate’s degree.
Tell me about your previous work experience.
My previous work experience was as a Deaf Services Coordinator.. I provide services to the Deaf/Hard of Hearing community such as peer counseling, advocacy, information and referral, and Independent Living Skills. My job was to promote independence, self advocacy etc. I realized that many of my consumers had a need for assistance with Medicare, medicaid, SSDI and SSI.. I had no clue how this worked so I decided to be proactive and went to training, took a state exam and passed with flying colors and now I was state certified to help with Medicare, Medicaid, SSDI and SSI to the general public and boy, did I fall in love with this field!! Don’t ask but I love the challenges it brings and how rewarding it is when we unravel the mess- and seeing the smile on my consumer’s faces once everything is resolved! Advocacy- I loved this part of my job with a passion! I love teaching this to my consumers and watching them grow stronger, build confidence and self esteem… I also loved networking with the professionals out there and educating them on disability awareness and working side by side with legislators.. It is an awesome job that comes with gaining awesome experience.
What is your current job and what is a typical day like on the job?
My current job title is Make Medicare Work Project Coordinator. I counsel individuals on Medicare/Medicaid, supplemental insurance, and the works. I also provide workshops, presentations etc.. I work with the Make Medicare Work Coalition as well as AgeOptions, we are a team that provides services to the community to educate them on Medicare/Medicaid and keep them informed of upcoming changes and Lord knows we have changes coming for 2010!!
What advice would you share with a student who is considering career choices?
When considering your career choice, I believe that high schools offer programs where you can intern somewhere and at least you can test it out to see if this is what you really want to do… Talk to people who are in the career that you are considering, see if you can “shadow” them for a few weeks. Investigate your career choices thoroughly.. do me a HUGE favor- do NOT ever let anyone tell you that you CAN’T do it because you are deaf. Take it from me, I let them tell me that and I gave up. Don’t take NO for an answer. Get out there and show them what you are made of. What angers me is how people focuses on the DISABILITY and not on the ABILITY!! I love the quote by I. King Jordan, “We can do everything that a person does EXCEPT hear”.