BEYOND SILENCE
"Deaf Identity"
Santiago Martín Hanza - Traid
This book narrates the life of Santiago, who lost his hearing when he was almost two years old due to a bacterial infection that caused "septic arthritis" and subsequent incorrectly applied medication, which left him permanently Deaf. Throughout his life, Santiago had to fight twice as hard, initially using bilateral hearing aids, and then a cochlear implant.
It was exhausting for him to constantly have to deal with people, who find it hard to accept that, in spite of his use of a hearing device, his natural language is Argentine Sign Language (LSA).
He wanted to be free and at peace with himself not limited by other people's beliefs, ideologies, and philosophies. His family played a significant role in this process, making crucial decisions to provide the best for their child, with recommendations from doctors and speech therapists.
Just like everyone else, what a Deaf person needs is to embrace adventure and pursue happiness.
My name is Santiago Martin Hanza Traid. I was born in 1993 in Wanda, Misiones, a province of Argentina.
I am Deaf and have been a member of the Deaf community since the age of 6. I am a University Instructor of Argentine Sign Language (LSA), graduated from the National University of Entre Ríos (UNER). I also participated in an International Leadership Training Programme held at the Castberggård Institute in Urlev. Denmark, as part of a higher education initiative for Deaf individuals. In addition, I am a writer, and a pioneer within the Deaf community.
