Speaker Robert Rivas Proclaims Stuttering Awareness and Acceptance Week in California

• Nick Miller
• Communications Director
• 916-319-2029
• [email protected]

SACRAMENTO - Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas recognizes Stuttering Awareness and Acceptance Week in California, from May 10 to 16, honoring the millions of individuals who experience stuttering and encouraging greater understanding, inclusion and acceptance of speech diversity statewide.

Speaker Rivas, a longtime stuttering advocate who has spoken about his experience growing up with a stutter, said the week is also a reminder that California's diversity should be respected and celebrated.

"One thing I've learned is that speech diversity is a strength - and even a superpower. I'm proud to recognize Stuttering Awareness and Acceptance Week in California. It's personal for me, and it's an honor to celebrate this community and raise awareness about how we can all better support people facing the daily challenges of stuttering." - Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas

Maya Chupkov is the founder of Proud Stutter, a podcast about shifting the narrative around stuttering and embracing speech diversity. The team behind Proud Stutter is directing and producing a documentary on Issac Bailey, a Black professor and journalist with a severe stutter. As Issac's health falters, he seeks to heal himself and his family, digging into the fissures and cracks between them, revealing how wounds cut across time, and hoping to find clarity at the end of it.

"Resolutions like this matter because they send a message to people who stutter that their voices belong in public life. Stuttering is still deeply misunderstood and too often made fun of in our society. Through Proud Stutter Podcast, I've interviewed more than 100 people who stutter, and it's clear to me how important it is that we continue showing up for our community and creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued. I'm excited to keep lifting up the stuttering community through this resolution and through the power of storytelling - documentaries, podcasts, scripted media, and community conversations - because stories have the power to build empathy, reduce stigma, and remind people who stutter that they belong." - Maya Chupkov, Founder of Proud Stutter

Roughly 3 million Americans stutter, and this week recognizes the importance of reducing stigma, supporting inclusion, and recognizing stuttering as a form of speech diversity. It also encourages Californians to support individuals and families affected by stuttering and to continue building awareness and acceptance in schools, workplaces, and communities across the state.