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From: Steven Kaufman
Date: 09 Oct 2009
Time: 20:50:19 -0500
Remote Name: 68.194.171.62
Hello Anita! I must say what a special paper you wrote, and this has a personal meaning for me. For many teammates who stutter, shying away from everyday situations can cause a great deal of paralysis. Four years ago, I could barely even say my own name and I subscribed to the adage that I should be seen and not heard. The journey of self-acceptance I have taken has forever changed my life. I give so much of my time to the NSA, and love it....I lecture at colleges, and I know now there is nothing to fear about stuttering anymore. At the risk of my cheesy pop culture humor coming out, I tell everyone to take a page from High School Musical and when it comes to stuttering, getcha head in the game: and say what you want! On a personal note, this is a story I never told anyone. In my early days of junior college, I was so ashamed of my stuttering and the teasing that I tried to take my own life. In many ways, I am starting to realize that I was meant to live...and give back in my life to help my teammates who stutter. You're an amazing keynote speaker and I am so very honored you are my teammate. I hope you come back for NSA 2010!