Jared Scheinberg is a comedy performer, writer and social worker based in New York and saw an article about my stutter and stand up comedy hobby.
Thanks Jared for the chat about stuttering and comedy.
Blog
ASEA April 2021
Welcome to the April 2021 update from the Australian Speak Easy Association. Last month, I announced that our National Speak Freely Virtual Meetups would be twice per month. I also made an attempt at setting up recurring meetings in an attempt to simplify things. Unfortunately, sometimes trying to take a short cut results in a longer journey. The National Speak Freely Virtual Meetup will continue at once per month but I will attempt to hold a second meetup where time permits. We are also going back to simply registering for the next meetup.
We have also launched a Twitter page while still maintaining our Facebook page. Both platforms will generally have the same information. Don’t forget to check the News section on our website as well.
I’m also happy to announce that our National Conference will once again be online for 2021. Stay tuned for more details. In case you missed our 2020 Online Conference, you can catch up on some of the presentations on our website:
speakeasy.org.au/2020-conference-presentations
Thank you for your support and interest in the Australian Speak Easy Association.
Vikesh Anand
National President
Stuttering in School: Young Perspectives
Check out this stuttering awareness and educational film made by young people with a stutter in New Zealand as they share their experiences with the school environment.
Stuttering: Young Kiwis share their stories will take you on a journey with 11 young people (aged 9 to 18 years) to help you understand the unique experiences of young Kiwis who stutter. In this 15-minute film, they share their stories about stuttering both in and out of the school environment, to make the world an easier place for people who stutter. Educational, and sometimes emotional, this film will provide you with insights into the lives of people who stutter. The stories these generous young Kiwis share will help you to learn what you can do to support people who stutter. This film will be of particular value to teachers or others who care about people who stutter.
Speak Freely Virtual Meetup
This is a casual online event for anyone who has an interest in stuttering, including people who stutter, families, speech pathologists (and students) and friends.
Come and speak freely using whatever tools you want to (or don’t want to) use without judgement. Share your stories and journey.
Next Meetup
5 April 2021 at 7pm Queensland time zone
Registration required
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYof-CgrjIpGdClCmwfcUp9Gz6MnlWwflBV
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Zoom will be used for the video call but an account is not required to join.
Worldwide Virtual Meetup for Youth Who Stutter
The World Stuttering Network (WSN) is hosting a Youth Committee virtual meetup.
Please email events@speakeasy.org.au for the Zoom link.
20 February 2021
8pm – Brisbane, QLD, Australia
10am – London, UK
5am – Miami, FL, USA
What the Youth Committee does:
• World Friending Pair up for one-on-one conversations with kids who stutter (KWS) & parents from around the world!
• Panel discussion with a few adults who stutter. Kids ask the questions!
• Games if time allows
What to expect:
• No one talks unless THEY want to.
• Use of chat is totally cool.
How do we keep this safe for kids?
• All cameras are turned on
• A parent/guardian is on screen with the KWS.
Make new friends & have fun with the WSN Youth Committee!
Speak Freely Virtual Meetup: 17 Feb 2021
This is a casual online event for anyone who has an interest in stuttering, including people who stutter, families, speech pathologists (and students) and friends.
Come and speak freely using whatever tools you want to (or don’t want to) use without judgement. Share your stories and journey.
17 February 2021
8pm QLD
Registration required
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Zoom will be used for the video call but an account is not required to join.
There is no limit
Stuttering related organisations around the world have signed a letter of congratulations to President Biden as the first US President who has a stutter.
Stuttering doesn’t mean we are any less intelligent, nervous or anxious. It just means that our words may take a little longer to get out so please be patient when you meet someone who has a stutter and wait for us to finish our thoughts.
The full joint letter
Dear Mr President
Warm congratulations on your inauguration today from the stuttering community from across the globe.
As someone with a stutter, your achievement stands testament to the fact that having a stutter is no reflection upon brains or talent. This is an empowering message for young people who stutter here, and in every continent around the world, and a powerful message to all those who don’t stutter. Stuttering should be no bar to success.
You stutter. We stutter. It’s how we talk.
WSN Youth Committee
I’m excited to announce that the World Stuttering Network (WSN) has recently setup a Youth Committee led by Chairman Sam, who you see in this video. They are changing one of their two monthly meetings to support the Australian time zone (and all others between here and the UK) so please check out details below.
Please email events@speakeasy.org.au for the Zoom link and indicate if you are a parent of a youth who has a stutter, speech pathologist or speech pathology student.
Message from WSN:
Our WSN Youth Committee Chairman, Sam Wiggins, has initiated an earlier meeting on Saturday, Jan 30th to accommodate our friends we haven’t met yet in Australia and Southeast Asia!
Date: Saturday, Jan 30th
Time:
• 8pm ……………… Brisbane
• 7pm ………………. Tokyo
• 3:30pm …………. New Delhi
• 10am ……………… London
What we do:
• World Friending Pair up for one-on-one conversations with kids who stutter (KWS) & parents from around the world!
• Panel discussion with a few adults who stutter. Kids ask the questions!
• Games if time allows
What to expect:
• No one talks unless THEY want to.
• Use of chat is totally cool.
How do we keep this safe for kids?
In addition to Zoom’s Waiting Room feature, the initial room is used to insure:
• All cameras are turned on
• A parent/guardian is on screen with the KWS.
(For our Zoom techies, the initial Zoom room co-host becomes the gatekeeper for the meeting. This person insures the above conditions are met and then sends participants to Breakout Room #1, which is used as the main room. ‘Participants choose their own Breakout Room’ is disabled; manual is turned on)
Make new friends & have fun with the WSN Youth Committee!
ABC Radio Central West NSW with Ewan Gilbert
Thank you ABC Radio Central West NSW and Ewan Gilbert for the opportunity to talk about stuttering on Thursday 14 January 2021.
Talking About Stuttering with Cynthia Dacillo Senaga
Thank you Cynthia Dacillo Senaga, Speech Patholigist in Peru, for the opportunity to talk about stuttering. We covered some great topics such as solitude vs community, social stigma vs awareness and fluency vs communication.
Cynthia also took the time to translate and subtitle our English conversation into Spanish!
