‘Don’t be afraid:’ Amazon’s deaf and hard-of-hearing employees thriving with the right accommodations

GATES, N.Y. (WROC) – Tristan Hower is a process engineer at Amazon’s Roc 1 center in Gates. That basically means he ensures everything is operating the way it should. He’s also part of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.

“Many people underestimate what deaf and hard-of-hearing people are capable of doing because they are using a different language,” said Hower, “They assume people are not as smart or less capable of doing certain things.”

Hower joined the company in 2020 and has since been promoted several times. He also helped launch the local fulfillment center. “People like myself have area managers here who are hard-of-hearing, we have process assistants who are deaf and hard-of-hearing,” he said, “so really language in itself has nothing to do with it. It’s really about how you’re able to bring what you have, your skills, your knowledge, your talents — that experience to the table.”

Since opening last year Amazon has hired around 200 DHH employees. They have ASL translators to assist when needed, from training to everyday work. And, there’s a disability team that handles providing those accommodations.

“We want to hire the most diverse population out there to make sure that we take care of our customers.” said Lateef Melvin a human resources manager at Amazon’s Roc 1. “So, whether it’s an associate that needs an accommodation, or just somebody who needs a job — we’re here to help provide that option for everybody.”

Currently, the site has over 1,500 employees, but they’re always hiring and Melvin says they can accommodate many employee needs.

Hower says anyone can climb the ladder to success. “It just starts with you, yourself, and wanting to do it,” he said. “Researching, learning, asking questions — and don’t be afraid.”

Hower hopes to continue working at Amazon, getting promoted, and being number one in everything he does.

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