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The Fostering Joy Project
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Please register below for these meetings so we can track participants and ensure accessibility needs. Register now by clicking the link below.
Please join us for our Fostering Joy Community of Learners calls this school year!
Open to all: H&V Chapter and program leaders, family-based support organizations, EHDI system stakeholders, educators, and individual family members. Please join the H&V Fostering Joy Project for building a community of support and joy.
For best results, registration is required 48 hours in advance. Auto-captioning will be provided. Please register one week ahead for additional access requests. Watch for the Zoom link and captioning information to arrive in an email after you register.
Thank you for being a part of the joy movement! Register Now for this Upcoming Meeting:
Fostering Joy Forum Presents - Rooted in Joy: Identity, Access, and Belonging
Date: Tuesday, April 21st, 2026
Time: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm MT
Please register for this meeting so we can track participants and ensure accessibility needs. Register now by clicking the link above. When you register, the zoom link will be sent to you.
Description of event:
What does joy look like in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HH) experience? Too often, conversations focus on challenges, barriers, or systems. This forum shifts the lens. Together, we will explore the power of joy as told through lived experience—by individuals who are D/HH. Hosted by Hands & Voices, this conversation celebrates identity, connection, growth, and belonging. Through personal stories and shared reflections, this session will highlight everyday moments that make the D/HH journey meaningful and vibrant. Whether you are a chapter leader, family member, professional, or community partner, you are invited to listen, learn, and reflect on how we can intentionally foster joy—in our programs, in our leadership, and in our relationships... Because joy is not an afterthought. It’s foundational.
Presenters:
Thomas Horejes
Thomas Horejes, Ph.D. has decades of academic, professional, and personal
experience in early intervention including advocacy, legal analysis, and program
development and assessment. He takes great passion doing research &
development on local/state/national EHDI efforts. He was former Keynote
plenary presenter for the 2018 EHDI Conference. He is current Chief Advocacy Officer for SignWow and former Executive Director of Deaf Empowerment Awareness Foundation (DEAF, Inc.), a non-profit organization dedicated to empower, raise Awareness, and bridge a sustainable Foundation of advocacy, communication and accessibility for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, and the Hearing communities. Tommy currently serves on the Board for Deaf Youth Sports Foundation (dysf.org) and Vice Chair of Maryland Department of Health’s Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Advisory Council.
Heidi Klomhaus
Heidi Klomhaus is the parent of three children ages 28, 14, and 11. She holds a Certificate in Deaf Studies, an AAS in Sign Language Interpretation and a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies-Public Administration. Being late identified as Hard of Hearing herself with severe hearing loss led her to attending college and pursuing studies in the Deaf world. During that time, her youngest was born Hard of Hearing, giving Heidi a new direction in life. Knowing there were opportunities to make a difference in her own daughter’s journey led her to Arizona Hands & Voices where she is now making a difference in the lives of Deaf or Hard of Hearing children and their families. Heidi is a 2022 graduate of the Hands & Voices Leadership to Leadership (L2L) program. She serves as Executive Director and Guide By Your Side Coordinator of Arizona Hands & Voices.
Register Below
Fill out the form below and click the Submit button at the bottom to register your information.
Watch for more upcoming opportunities from the Fostering Joy Project:
We are seeking additional members to our committee and will share more information at this meeting. Look for another April event coming your way!
Why the Fostering Joy Movement?
Because we know what it means to be the family of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing. You may be overwhelmed, feel alone, worry about your child’s communication and what you need to do next. AND as parents, we know how important it is to just celebrate your child! To see all the many gifts your child brings, to take time to enjoy each other, and to share your joy with others that understand. THAT is what we mean by Fostering Joy! Join the community! Find out more information about this project here: https://handsandvoices.org/resources/fostering-joy.htm
Please join us and feel free to share this information with others!
For more information, contact us at janet@handsandvoices.org www.handsandvoices.org
