Proud Stutter

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 Support this p...

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 Support this podcast at...

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...

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 S...

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 break...

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...

Sammar Farooqi is a person who stutters based in Dubai. He’s an executive at SAP where he explains complex technology to people on a daily basis. Sammar shares his experiences with stuttering starting from his childhood, the mocking he faced, and how he used a traumatic event to motivate himself to become a successful communicator in the technology space.  He offers some communication techniques t...

David Mayan, aka emcdouble, is a professional recording artist based in Queens, New York. He also stutters.  David shares how he initially used music as a form of therapy to manage his stuttering and how this later formed the basis for his versatile musical style, melding elements of hip hop, Spanish music, and electronic fusions. Episode breakdown 02:56 Stuttering and Music 03:46 Growing Up with...

Host of Proud Stutter Maya recaps Proud Stutter’s annual gala with some clips from the evening, featuring special guests Senator Scott Wiener and San Francisco Supervisor Dean Preston. She also looks back on some of Proud Stutter’s biggest moments from 2023 and more! Part 1: Proud Stutter's Gala 01:33 Julian's Speech: The Silence of Stuttering 06:12 Sarah's Story: Overcoming Fear and E...

Keegan Murphy thought he outgrew his childhood stutter, until a traumatic event triggered its return. Not only does Keegan share his experience with his stuttering popping back up unexpectedly, but he also talks about the challenges and frustrations of stuttering in corporate America and how seeking professional help transformed his view on his stutter and helped get him out of his deep depression...

Isaac Bailey is a stutterer, author, and professor. His book, 'My Brother Moochie', details his family's struggles after his eldest brother was sentenced to life imprisonment. Isaac talks about growing up poor, black, and with a stutter in the South, his traumatic family history, and his realization that being a stutterer is a part of his identity rather than an impediment. He also ope...

Steven Anthopoulos is the director and writer of “Voice Activated,” a short film that has won 11 awards, a Tribeca selected film, and is eligible for an Academy Award. Steven talks about how he got the idea for his film, which revolves around a florist with a stutter interacting with a voice-activated car, and how filmmaking has helped him accept his stutter and face it head on. Watch Voice Activa...

Julian Benabides is Proud Stutter’s special guest, and he just happens to be Maya’s neighbor. Julian talks about his experience stuttering in foreign countries and what it’s been like collaborating on Proud Stutter’s comic book called "My Stutter: Life of Verbal Turbulence." Maya and Julian also talk about their experience door knocking in their neighborhood to spread the word about Proud...

Steven Tallas might stutter in the human world, but in the dog world, he is completely fluent. Maya speaks with Steven about his journey to becoming a professional dog trainer and how he never let his stutter get in the way of his dreams. Jay Feinstein, the co-host for this episode, is a Senior Podcast Producer for WBUR, Boston's public radio station. Learn more about Steven and his dog traini...

Kai Caragenis is a father of a young girl. In this bonus episode of Proud Stutter, he shares his feelings around being adequate enough to be a father, how the King’s Speech changed his relationship with his stutter, and how breathing techniques helped his speech. Host & Producer: Maya Chupkov Save the date (12/7/2023) for Proud Stutter’s 1st Annual Gala + Community Comedy Event in San Francisc...

Maya is back to answer your questions ranging from TV shows, public speaking tips, navigating her stutter, and more.  Host & Producer: Maya Chupkov Editor: Quinn Greenhaus   Save the date (12/6/2023) for Proud Stutter’s 1st Annual Gala + Community Comedy Event in San Francisco Support Proud Stutter by becoming a recurring donor via Flipcause Vote for Proud Stutter to win a Signal Award for ‘Mo...

Jay Jordan and Jesse Vasquez are back on the pod this week. Jay talks about how his identity as a person who stutters intersects with his criminal record identity. Jesse and Jay both share a passion for de-stigmatizing the narrative surrounding people who are incarcerated and those that have come out of prison. You can listen to Part 1 of this episode here . Host: Maya Chupkov Guest Co-Host: Jesse...

Jay Jordan, a person who stutters, has devoted his life after incarceration to challenging the stigma surrounding criminal records. For the first time ever, Jay opens up publicly about what it was like serving seven-years in prison with a stutter. He talks about a life changing experience that led him to coming to terms with his stutter and his purpose.  Post-incarceration, Jay faced rejection whe...

For this special bonus episode of Proud Stutter, Maya is rebroadcasting an episode from the Beyond Awareness podcast. Host Diana Pastora Carson interviews Maya and they talk about the intersections between inclusive education and supporting people who stutter in and outside the classroom. In this episode: Diana's TedTalk, " Walking with Joaquin ," chronicles her family's journey to...

Blaise Ventura, a 20-year-old person who stutters, joins Maya to talk about blocking, his journey towards self-improvement, dating, and how FOMO can play into anxiety. Blocking is a form of stuttering that is extremely misunderstood and Blaise offers a unique perspective around his acceptance of his stutter that many people, especially young people, may find relatable. He also discusses his partic...

Using fashion as a form of self expression is one of the main topics in part 2 of Maya’s interview with Mia and Lila. Mia talks about how stuttering intersects with her multiple identities, such as being Chinese, an adoptee, and a college student. She emphasizes the importance of community support, including her family and friends, in helping her embrace her stutter and advocate for others. Other...

Mia Hitterman spent most of her childhood and teenage years hiding her stutter. It wasn’t until college that she discovered pageantry and finally found her community.  In this episode of Proud Stutter, Mia talks about how joining Miss Chinese Chicago helped strengthen her confidence, embrace every part of herself, and come out as a person who stutters. Our guest co-host is Lila Carrillo, a dear fr...

A few months ago, the MLB released a video of 10 Year-Old Mateo Sanchez and professional baseball player George Springer. The special bond between these two was palpable. Also featured was father Jesse Sanchez. The MLB video was inspiration for this interview with both Mateo and father Jesse. Mateo, the show's youngest podcast guest, has been stuttering his entire life. In this special episode...

This episode is part 2 of Maya’s interview with Calvin and Roy. Calvin talks more in-depth about his relationship with his stutter, including how he deals with triggers. He also talks about goal setting helps him accept his stutter and tricks he uses when public speaking. You can follow Calvin Williams, Jr on Instagram and Savage Truth Podcast here . In this Episode Interest form to join the caree...

Having friends who can help see your true potential is a gift. Part 1 of my conversation with Calvin Williams, Jr. and Roy Dockery talks about friendship and the importance of having people around you that lift you up.  Calvin Williams, Jr is a person who stutter and an entrepreneur and founder of Freeman Capitol. How has Calvin navigated his stutter while running a successful fintech company? We...