Turning Hearing Loss Into Global Impact

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In this episode of the Brandon T. Adams Audio Experience, I sat down with Kristy Whilden, author of Alice's Colorful New World, founder of Hands Up Silent Theater, and a powerful advocate for the Deaf community. What began as a devastating diagnosis that stripped away her identity as a music teacher became the catalyst for a mission that’s impacting families, children, and schools around the world.

Kristy opens up about the moment she learned she was losing her hearing, the depression that followed, and how she rebuilt her life with a new sense of purpose. Today, she’s on a mission to create equal, inclusive theater experiences for both Deaf and hearing audiences while sharing the true origin story of American Sign Language through her new children’s book, Alice’s Colorful New World!

In this episode we talk about:

• How Kristy went from music teacher to losing her hearing
• The emotional journey of identity, loss, and rediscovery
• The creation of Hands Up Silent Theater and its mission
• Why typical interpreted theater isn’t truly “equal access”
• The real, incredible history behind the birth of American Sign Language
• Kristy’s goal to sell one million books to support the American School for the Deaf

👉 Follow Kristy’s mission and Hands Up Silent Theater
📘 Check out Alice's Colorful New World

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