Giving a Voice to the Voiceless

Holly Forlenza has never spoken a word but she has a lot to say. She has severe epilepsy, bilateral hearing loss and is on the autism spectrum. Sadly, Holly’s inability to speak masked her wisdom for more than 20 years, but she fortunately crossed paths with an expert in facilitated communication who recognized her literary skills in 2011. Through years of patience and practice, Holly now types on an iPad with the assistance of aides and expresses a message of love, hope and resilience. With her mother, Eileen, the duo shares Holly’s story with community groups, associations, and corporations to inspire and advocate for others who are oppressed and unheard.