Hilary Utaegbulam is a Nigerian-born physics student and teacher who stutters. He recently gave his first ever public presentation on his research, which went extremely well.

Hilary offers advice on preparing for public speaking and how to give a confident presentation as a person who stutters. He also talks about how he got through his first stuttering encounter at a conference and the mental and physical hurdles of stuttering, how it influenced his career choices, and the importance of seeking therapy and support.

In this episode

Hilary’s physics presentation

ROCK OF HOPE film crowdfunding campaign. Support Maya and her team of stuttering filmmakers by making a pledge to the campaign today.

If you'd like to support but just can't afford to support monetarily, you can:

• Click "Follow" on the campaign on Seed&Spark! This is almost as beneficial as pledging because once they hit 500 "followers," regardless of how many people pledge, they'll unlock creator discounts for this and future projects.
• Use this social media toolkit. It includes sample language for social media and an email template to share with your friends, family, and colleagues. 

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Carol Labov is the author of “The Cave Boy Who Would Be President,” a children’s book inspired by her own experience with her grandson Cooper. Where did the idea of the book come from and why did she write it?

This book is built on the love of a grandmother to her grandson and is meant to be helpful for other parents going through similar experiences.

You can get a copy here.

In this episode

There still time to support the ROCK OF HOPE film crowdfunding campaign. Support Maya and her team of stuttering filmmakers by making a pledge to the campaign today. The filmmakers need to reach 80% of their goal or they get nothing. 

If you'd like to support but just can't afford to support monetarily, you can:

• Click "Follow" on the campaign on Seed&Spark! This is almost as beneficial as pledging because once we hit 250 "followers," regardless of how many people pledge, they'll start unlocking creator discounts for this and future projects.
• Use this toolkit until the end of the campaign. It includes sample language for social media and an email template to share with your friends, family, and colleagues. 

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/proud-stutter/exclusive-content

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This episode celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month and Stuttering Awareness Week. Casey Combs is an attorney. She's also a new mother. How did motherhood change her relationship with her stutter? What was it like going to law school with a stutter and how did she land a job that accepted her speech? From dark thoughts to becoming more accepting, Casey explains why it's okay to have big feelings around stuttering.

In this episode

Today also marks the launch of the ROCK OF HOPE film crowdfunding campaign. Support Maya and her team of stuttering filmmakers by making a pledge to the campaign today. The filmmakers need to reach 80% of their goal or they get nothing. 

If you'd like to support but just can't afford to support monetarily, you can:

• Click "Follow" on the campaign on Seed&Spark! This is almost as beneficial as pledging because once we hit 250 "followers," regardless of how many people pledge, they'll start unlocking creator discounts for this and future projects.
• Use this toolkit on launch day. It includes sample language for social media and an email template to share with your friends, family, and colleagues. 

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/proud-stutter/exclusive-content

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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

John Finn is Chief Scientific Officer at Tome Biosciences. John opens about his personal and professional journey as a person who stutters, including how it shaped his career in science, approach to public speaking, and interactions with his colleagues. He also talks about the science behind how genetics and stuttering connect.

Episode breakdown

00:00 “Rock of Hope” Sneak Preview 

02:47 John Finn's Journey: From Stuttering to Scientific Breakthroughs

12:24 The Challenges and Triumphs of Public Speaking with a Stutter

24:36 Exploring the Genetics of Stuttering

28:58 Final Thoughts and Advice

In the episode

Learn more about ROCK OF HOPE

RSVP to the in-person documentary kickoff event in SF (May 16)

RSVP to the virtual documentary kickoff event on Zoom (May 17) 

Learn about Isaac Bailey, guest speaker for the May 17 virtual event

Learn about John Finn, today’s episode guest

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John Stossel, renowned TV personality and reporter, shares the challenges he faced in his broadcast journalism career and what led him to seek help with his fluency.

03:09 John Stossel's Broadcast Journalism Career Journey & Facing His Stutter

06:07 His Time At Hollins Communication Reconstruction Center

09:47 Stuttering in Pop Culture

12:48 John's Reflections and Advice

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Swathi grew up in India speaking multiple languages. She talks with Maya about how her stuttering influenced interactions, often prompting language shifts. Transitioning into her career as a software engineer, Swathi finds solace in a supportive workplace environment, sharing her experiences through writing to advocate for inclusivity.

In this episode

Swathy's blog post

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Jayne Amelia Larson is an actor, voiceover artist, bestselling author and podcaster. Jayne shares with Maya her journey of covert stuttering and her struggle with being open about her stutter over the course of her career.

They also talk about Jayne's family dynamics, acting in Judging Amy, and her difficult experience with recording the audio version of her bestselling book, 'Driving the Saudis.'

Episode breakdown

00:50 Jayne's Journey with Stuttering and Covert Stuttering

02:12 The Challenges of Stuttering in Professional Voice Over Work

04:35 Family Dynamics and the Impact on Stuttering

20:26 The Complex Relationship Between Trauma and Stuttering

23:57 Exploring Acting as a Tool for Managing Stuttering

Updates

Get a copy of Proud Stutter's comic book while supplies last

Want to be in the credits of Proud Stutter's documentary? Make a donation here.

About the host

Find Maya on IG: @Mayachupkov

Twitter: @Proudstutter

YouTube: @Proudstutter

LinkedIn: Maya-Chupkov

Facebook: @Proudstutter

You can buy Proud Stutter merch on our website

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This episode is Part 2 of Proud Stutter's official launch party and reading in Los Angeles to celebrate its comic book, MY STUTTER: LIFE OF VERBAL TURBULENCE.

Episode breakdown

06:05 The Power of Stuttering Communities

08:16 Discussion on the Creation of the Comic Book

08:51 Visual Representation in Stuttering

10:25 Making the Comic Book

13:26 Stuttering and Personal Growth

16:04 The Role of Speech Therapy in Stuttering

19:12 The Concept of Speech Diversity

27:47 The Evolution of Personal Attitudes Towards Stuttering

30:47 Proud Stutter's Documentary

Proud Stutter updates

Get a copy of Proud Stutter's comic book while supplies last

Donate to Fund The Future of Stuttering Campaign to help de-stigmatize stuttering 

Connect with Maya and Proud Stutter: Twitter | Instagram | Website | LinkedIn | Subscribe | E-Newsletter | Shop

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Proud Stutter celebrated the official launch of its comic book, MY STUTTER: LIFE OF VERBAL TURBULENCE, on February 12, 2024. Proud Stutter hit the road and went to Pasadena, California to bring the Los Angeles stuttering community together to talk about the comic book and stuttering stories. We were also joined by some special guest speakers from the Los Angeles stuttering community.

Episode breakdown

02:32 Event reflections with Julian

12:23 Part 1 of the event with guest speakers from the LA stuttering community

Proud Stutter updates

Get a copy of Proud Stutter's comic book while supplies last

Donate to Fund The Future of Stuttering Campaign to help de-stigmatize stuttering 

Connect with Maya and Proud Stutter: Twitter | Instagram | Website | LinkedIn | Subscribe | E-Newsletter | Shop

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Lorenzo Becerra is a college freshman who stutters. He is studying to be a speech pathologist. When he thinks about his future, he envisions a happy life. But, he didn’t always see his stutter as something to be proud of. 

“I put some of my self worth in speaking. And since I couldn't speak that well, my self worth was down.”

How do you find self-worth with a stutter? 

Episode breakdown

02:39 Lorenzo and Maya’s Stuttering Experiences

04:12 The Power Behind Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone

07:19 The Importance of Having A Support System

10:16 The Power of Visualization

11:40 Shifting Views on Stuttering

22:05 The Struggle of Fitting In

26:44 Empowerment and Role Models

29:50 The Power of the Stuttering Community

Proud Stutter updates

Attend Proud Stutter's event this Monday, Feb. 12 in Pasadena, CA

Donate to Fund The Future of Stuttering Campaign to help de-stigmatize stuttering 

Connect with Maya and Proud Stutter: Twitter | Instagram | Website | LinkedIn | Subscribe | E-Newsletter | Shop

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/proud-stutter/exclusive-content

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