Amanda Fritz, Portland City Commissioner, spoke at the opening of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) 2013 Convention on Thursday, June 27. She welcomed the attendees to the City of Roses and cited a number of advances for people with disabilities in Portland which included the Model Employer Plan and a captioning plan for all online and cablecast digital media.

Following a receptive applause from the audience, the incoming HLAA executive director, Anna Gilmore Hall, said, “There was a reason we picked Portland and that’s it,” referring to the proactive actions made by the city in regards to disability rights and being the HLAA’s choice for its national convention this year.