When the Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing brought together advocates, educators, legal professionals, and community members for its annual Hearing Loss Expo in March 2026, the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania was there — and for good reason.
NFB of PA President Lynn Heitz and member Joan Myers Goodman staffed an exhibit table across both days of the event, held March 10–11 at a gathering that celebrated its 40th anniversary this year. While the expo drew a remarkable lineup of presentations — covering everything from civil rights law and assistive technology to emergency preparedness and youth advocacy — the NFB of PA presence served as a reminder that hearing loss and vision loss often intersect, and that the communities built around each have much to offer each other.
Why the Hearing Loss Expo?
At first glance, a blindness organization at a hearing loss conference might seem unexpected. But the connection runs deep.
DeafBlindness — the simultaneous loss of both sight and hearing — affects many Pennsylvanians, and the challenges that come with it require support from multiple directions. Families, caregivers, and individuals navigating DeafBlindness often don't know where to turn. They may have found their way to a hearing-centered organization like HLAA or ODHH, but remain unaware of the resources and community waiting for them through the Federation.
Lynn and Joan were at that table precisely to close that gap — answering questions, sharing information, and making connections.
The Expo's Broader Mission
This year's expo was a particularly rich one. Day one featured sessions on public protection and consumer rights for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (presented by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General's Civil Rights Enforcement Section), law enforcement communication during traffic stops, and a discussion of Act 57, Pennsylvania's Sign Language Interpreter and Transliterator State Registration Act.
Day two brought sessions on assistive technology, the services available through ODHH, empowerment strategies for transitional-aged Deaf youth, ADA compliance around Video Remote Interpreting in healthcare settings, and mental health care for Deaf youth. The DeafBlind Experiences workshop — offered by Step-Up Services, LLC across multiple time slots — invited participants to experience firsthand what it means to live with combined hearing and vision loss, and to understand how Support Service Providers empower independence.
The breadth of programming reflects something important: the challenges facing Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind Pennsylvanians are complex, multi-dimensional, and call for a whole community of advocates working together.
What NFB of PA Offers
The National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania exists to help blind and DeafBlind individuals live the lives they want. Through advocacy, training, peer mentorship, and programming, NFB of PA connects people to practical tools and to a community that understands the lived experience of vision loss.
For families caring for a DeafBlind loved one, NFB of PA can be an invaluable bridge — helping them understand available resources, connecting them with others in similar situations, and advocating alongside them when systems fall short.
If you stopped by the NFB of PA table at this year's expo and want to follow up — or if you couldn't attend but are looking for support — we'd love to hear from you. Learn more about the deafblind division by contacting Lynn Heitz via email at president@nfbofpa.org, or call (215) 988-0888.
The Power of Showing Up
Expos like this one only work because organizations are willing to show up outside their own lane, to sit alongside organizations they might not regularly collaborate with, and to say: our community is part of your community too.
That's what Lynn Heitz and Joan Myers Goodman did in March. It's what the NFB of PA will keep doing — wherever Pennsylvanians with disabilities gather, and wherever we can make a difference.