Our chapter met for our monthly chapter meeting for the month of August. The theme of the meeting was inspiration.
After a round of introductions and readng the opening words, I read out some announcements:
- NSA Annual Conference Recap
New Website!
- Google Calendar Integration, you can add calendar to your own calendar to always be up-to date.
- Commenting System added, please comment away.
- Live chat - Please ask us any questions you might have
NSA Virtual Lounges - Last Months Invite
- Virtual Lounge seems like it'll happen once a month, would be good opportunity to mingle and meet other PWS/Allies.
- We will keep mailing list up to date when I see events happening (this and other events)
- Upcoming webinar - Unpacking Career Success Barriers for PWS (People Who Stutter) Part 1: Job Searching, Resumes & Job Application
Next we went into our topic which was Inspiration.
- I shared my experience with Mel Hoffman - one of the first PWS I met at a chapter meeting. Originally I thought he didnt stutter and was shocked to learn he had a severe stutter at a young age. Inpired me to live my life even with stuttering.
- A sports anchor who was a PWS
- Dr.McGuire talking at the NSA Annual Conference - someone who is high up not letting stuttering get in his way.
- StutterTalk - First time one of the members heard someone stutter willingly and openly.
- Lang Stuttering Institute
Next we moved to general sharing, topics that came up
- Stuttering more when talking to younger people. Some people had same experience, some had opposite - loved talking to younger people but more anxious with talking to people in authority.
- Zoom and online dating.
- Co-worker making fun of a slow speaker (non PWS) - do we speak up? Would they be talking about me behind my back?
Some books/movies/etc recommended by the members
- Out With It
- Turning Points
- Advise to Those Who Stutter - Free pdf.
- Stuttering: A Life Bound Up In Words
- American Girl Dolls: Gabriela McBride
- Let Me Finish - Documentary done in Austin.
- Pritesh Gandhi - PWS who was running for the U.S House Of Reps for Texas.
We finished of with the closing words.
Hope to see everyone again soon!
Rahul