Ellie Warren inserts a delicate-looking thread through the little apertures in the last few crystals and knots them up. She loves shiny things. The jewelry, which she has designed and created herself, is finished: two stars, made from violet and white crystals. She attaches the trinkets to her hearing aids and tries them on. Ellie calls them “hear rings”, earrings for her hearing aids. “Jewelry helps me express myself. Most people notice my creations first and only spot my hearing aids afterwards, so I can start a conversation about hearing loss. Little children in particular like the colorful stones. I explain to them what it means to be hard of hearing and try to do my bit to chip away at prejudices,” explains the 16-year-old.