At fourteen, I became the youngest founder of a stuttering support group in Canada. From the dozens of people across the world who have found comfort in our weekly meetings, I have learned that my disability is a source of strength. Nearly four years after its inception, the Calgary Stuttering Support Group remains a close-knit community of people who share struggles and celebrate triumphs. I am constantly inspired by the courageous members of our organization who continue to push past their disabilities in a world where fluency is paramount. Though I have since taken on many more roles with the Canadian Stuttering Association—organizing countless virtual panels, founding the first national support group for youth who stutter, working with my local institute for stuttering treatment to deliver a free speech therapy event and resources, and hosting workshops at the national stuttering conference, leading the Calgary Stuttering Support Group remains my greatest joy.

Raising awareness is the first step to reducing inequalities, ensuring inclusive spaces and transforming societal attitudes toward people living with disabilities. By educating ourselves and others, we can work towards a society that minimizes the barriers our community faces. These barriers can be in communication- the lack of assistive resources in video/messaging services and of interpretation services for American Sign Language; they can be physical- lack of wheelchair-accessible buildings and automatic doors; can be policy based-  lack of accommodation in the workforce and academia and discriminatory pay laws. Barriers are evident, particularly in healthcare. Much of my work as a member of the Alberta Children’s Hospital’s youth advisory committee involves advocating for youth with disabilities by ensuring the availability of pediatric rehabilitation resources.