Proud Stutter

Maya Chupkov
  • 4.9 (73)
  • PERSONAL JOURNALS
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

A podcast about changing how we understand and talk about stuttering, one conversation at a time.

  1. From Delhi to Data and Back to the Stutter That Shaped Him

    12/26/2025 · BONUS

    From Delhi to Data and Back to the Stutter That Shaped Him

    In this episode of Proud Stutter, Maya talks with tech entrepreneur Kanav Hasija about growing up with a severe stutter in India, being bullied in school, and how changing cities gave him the chance to redefine himself. Kanav shares how facing fear head on through quizzes, speeches, and leadership roles helped shift his relationship with speaking, and how stuttering later shaped the way he communicates as a founder. He walks through his journey from early engineering experiments to building healthcare and construction tech companies, and reflects on how stuttering pushed him to be more precise, patient, and resilient. The conversation also digs into how bullying can make you guarded while also fueling ambition, and how people who stutter often move between structure and creativity. Kanav closes by sharing his current project, a free, game based app designed to help kids who stutter through early intervention, better diagnostics, and accessible technology. In this episode Speech Quest ----- Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh Compton, Pablo Meza, Alexandra Mosby, Ingo Helbig, Jonathan Reiss, Jason Smith, Paige McGill, Wayne Engebretson, Swathy Manavalan, and Martha Horrocks. If you can become a monthly donor at $10 or more, we’ll give you access to ad-free episodes and bonus Proud Stutter+ content as a token of our thanks! Make your tax deductible gift here.  Proud Stutter is proudly fiscally sponsored by Independent Arts & Media. Want to lean more about what Proud Stutter has to offer? Sign up here to stay in the loop and take advantage of our upcoming events, actions, and educational materials. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/proud-stutter/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    33 min
  2. From The Vault: The Psychology Behind Our Responses To Stuttering

    11/07/2025 · BONUS

    From The Vault: The Psychology Behind Our Responses To Stuttering

    Maya revisits a listener favorite featuring choir clinicians Benedict and Talia, a husband-and-wife team who share powerful lessons about communication and empathy. Talia offers three practical tips for being a better listener to someone who stutters, starting with her first insight: “Fear is first.” She explains that fear is our natural initial response to new situations, and recognizing that helps us create calmer, more compassionate conversations. Listen to the full interview to hear Talia’s other two insights, and how she and Benedict model true partnership, humor, and presence in every interaction. In this episode Make a one-time or recurring donation here to help keep Proud Stutter goingExplore the recap of the film & art fundraiser sponsored by Proud Stutter----- Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh Compton, Pablo Meza, Matt Didisheim, Alexandra Mosby, Ingo Helbig, Jonathan Reiss, Jason Smith, Paige McGill, Wayne Engebretson, Swathy Manavalan, and Martha Horrocks. Learn more about Proud Stutter's impact campaign for its film project at proudstutter.org/impact If you can become a monthly donor at $10 or more, we’ll give you access to ad-free episodes and bonus Proud Stutter+ content as a token of our thanks! Make your tax deductible gift here.  Proud Stutter is proudly fiscally sponsored by Independent Arts & Media. Want to lean more about what Proud Stutter has to offer? Sign up here to stay in the loop and take advantage of our upcoming events, actions, and educational materials. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/proud-stutter/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    27 min
  3. This Playwright Who Stutters Found His Voice on the Page, and the Stage

    10/18/2025 · BONUS

    This Playwright Who Stutters Found His Voice on the Page, and the Stage

    Maya sits down with Jerry Slaff, a playwright and and a writer who stutters, for a conversation about voice, craft, and the lifelong arc from fear to freedom. Jerry first reached out to Proud Stutter back in December 2021, writing, “once a stutterer, always a stutterer… if people don’t like my speech, that’s their problem.” We revisit that email and trace how age, practice, and community reshaped his relationship to speaking, onstage, at work, and in everyday life. Jerry reflects on building a career that demanded communication, from press briefings, talkbacks, to cold reads, and how stuttering shows up differently across contexts (ease during prepared talkbacks vs. blocks in table reads). We explore his love of radio storytelling, the writers who formed his ear for dialogue, and his new creative chapters: a two-hander play set in 1950s America and a novel that includes a 12-year-old character who stutters. Along the way, we talk representation (what lands, what harms), allyship across disability communities, and the simple rule that guides him now: “Not caring is a great freedom.” Mentioned A recent documentary about Marlee Matlin that sparked a cross-disability allyship convoLies (Jerry's play)Film IG: @saintstephenfilm - following helps us show funders there’s a community behind the story.Event recap & donation links ----- Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh Compton, Pablo Meza, Matt Didisheim, Alexandra Mosby, Ingo Helbig, Jonathan Reiss, Jason Smith, Paige McGill, Wayne Engebretson, Swathy Manavalan, and Martha Horrocks. Learn more about Proud Stutter's impact campaign for its film project at proudstutter.org/impact If you can become a monthly donor at $10 or more, we’ll give you access to ad-free episodes and bonus Proud Stutter+ content as a token of our thanks! Make your tax deductible gift here. Proud Stutter is proudly fiscally sponsored by Independent Arts & Media. Want to lean more about what Proud Stutter has to offer? Sign up here to stay in the loop and take advantage of our upcoming events, actions, and educational materials. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/proud-stutter/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    40 min
  4. Ina Found Her Voice Across Three Languages. And Learned to Lean Into the Good Pain of Stuttering

    09/26/2025 · BONUS

    Ina Found Her Voice Across Three Languages. And Learned to Lean Into the Good Pain of Stuttering

    Maya sits down with Ina Lalich, a San Francisco–raised, multilingual woman who stutters, for a conversation about language, identity, and learning to take up space. Ina describes growing up between Serbian/Croatian and English (with a later detour through French), and how her fluency shifted across languages over time -- sometimes finding relief in Belgrade, later feeling the opposite. She talks about the “different mind” each language gives her, and how writing her college essay on stuttering helped her claim it as strength: creativity, precision, and deep empathy. Now a user researcher at Quizlet who records herself for work, Ina shares what it’s like to interview strangers daily, rewind the tapes, and still choose presence over perfection. We hear candid stories --from a CEO mistaking a block for a bad internet connection to educating someone who mimicked her speech -- and the simple rule that guides her: if she stays calm, others learn to, too. The episode explores womanhood and stuttering, resisting infantilization, the “good pain vs. injury pain” metaphor she borrows from gymnastics, and a curiosity about ASL as another doorway into voice and belonging. ----- 🎟 Get tickets for a community art and film event sponsored by Proud Stutter on October 9 in San Francisco Read about our latest film update here. ----- Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh Compton, Pablo Meza, Matt Didisheim, Alexandra Mosby, Ingo Helbig, Jonathan Reiss, Jason Smith, Paige McGill, Wayne Engebretson, Swathy Manavalan, and Martha Horrocks. Learn more about Proud Stutter's impact campaign for its film project at proudstutter.org/impact If you can become a monthly donor at $10 or more, we’ll give you access to ad-free episodes and bonus Proud Stutter+ content as a token of our thanks! Make your tax deductible gift here. Proud Stutter is proudly fiscally sponsored by Independent Arts & Media. Want to lean more about what Proud Stutter has to offer? Sign up here to stay in the loop and take advantage of our upcoming events, actions, and educational materials. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/proud-stutter/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    31 min
  5. Giving Stuttering the Mic in New Orleans: 20 Years After Katrina

    09/12/2025 · BONUS

    Giving Stuttering the Mic in New Orleans: 20 Years After Katrina

    Filmmaker and stuttering ally Andy Phillips joins Maya to mark the 10-year anniversary of his short film WORDS, a story born from two loves: New Orleans and spoken-word poetry. Andy shares how a friend who stutters, late-night script pages in a dreaded Shakespeare class, and a chance connection to a Lower Ninth Ward community center shaped the film’s heartbeat. A tour with neighborhood elder “Mr. Robert,” the Katrina watermark still visible on walls, inspired the opening poem and grounded the story in place and resilience. Andy also talks about researching stuttering to avoid tired stereotypes and building an indie crew through tiny miracles that kept showing up, sometimes literally with a Steadicam. A decade later, WORDS still ripples through his life, even guiding his path into podcast producing. You can watch WORDS here. ----- 🎟 Get tickets for a community art and film event sponsored by Proud Stutter on October 9 in San Francisco ----- U.S.-based writer with a finished script/pilot/play featuring disabled characters? Apply to 1IN4 Writers by Oct 20, 2025 for mentorship, industry relationships, and a $20K unrestricted grant. ----- Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh Compton, Pablo Meza, Matt Didisheim, Alexandra Mosby, Ingo Helbig, Jonathan Reiss, Jason Smith, Paige McGill, Wayne Engebretson, Swathy Manavalan, and Martha Horrocks. Learn more about Proud Stutter's impact campaign for its film project at proudstutter.org/impact If you can become a monthly donor at $10 or more, we’ll give you access to ad-free episodes and bonus Proud Stutter+ content as a token of our thanks! Make your tax deductible gift here.  Proud Stutter is proudly fiscally sponsored by Independent Arts & Media. Want to lean more about what Proud Stutter has to offer? Sign up here to stay in the loop and take advantage of our upcoming events, actions, and educational materials. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/proud-stutter/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    25 min
  6. Inside the Largest Genetic Study of Stuttering

    09/01/2025 · BONUS

    Inside the Largest Genetic Study of Stuttering

    Dr. Dillon Pruett has lived both sides of stuttering: the anxious kid rehearsing every word and the scientist searching DNA for answers. His groundbreaking research, recently published in Nature Genetics, uncovered 57 genetic hotspots tied to stuttering -- proof that our voices carry a biological story as complex as any human trait. In our conversation, Dillon shares how his personal journey shaped his path into research, what the findings reveal about stuttering’s overlap with traits like musicality and sleep, and why the goal isn’t to “fix” stuttering but to demystify it. At its heart, this episode is about turning stigma into science and science back into compassion. You can read the study here. ----- 🎟 Get tickets for a community art and film event sponsored by Proud Stutter on October 9 in San Francisco Read about our latest film update here. ----- Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh Compton, Pablo Meza, Matt Didisheim, Alexandra Mosby, Ingo Helbig, Jonathan Reiss, Jason Smith, Paige McGill, Wayne Engebretson, Swathy Manavalan, and Martha Horrocks. Learn more about Proud Stutter's impact campaign for its film project at proudstutter.org/impact If you can become a monthly donor at $10 or more, we’ll give you access to ad-free episodes and bonus Proud Stutter+ content as a token of our thanks! Make your tax deductible gift here. Proud Stutter is proudly fiscally sponsored by Independent Arts & Media. Want to lean more about what Proud Stutter has to offer? Sign up here to stay in the loop and take advantage of our upcoming events, actions, and educational materials. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/proud-stutter/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    34 min
  7. Sam Once Feared Her Stutter. Now She’s a Talk Therapist Helping Others Unmask.

    08/15/2025

    Sam Once Feared Her Stutter. Now She’s a Talk Therapist Helping Others Unmask.

    Maya sits down with Sam Gennuso, a Bay Area-based licensed psychotherapist and person who stutters, for a conversation about vulnerability, self-acceptance, and what it means to unmask. Sam shares her journey of growing up covert, discovering her stutter, and the early therapy experiences that shaped her understanding of fluency, shame, and identity. Now a talk therapist, Sam talks about how stuttering has become one of her greatest teachers - helping her show up more authentically in her work and relationships. The episode explores themes of nervous system regulation, daily grounding practices, boundary-setting, and the metaphor of stuttering as diving into cold water: scary at first, but easier with each leap. You can find Sam on Instagram at @wellgoneweird and check out her website: www.samgtherapy.com ----- 🎟 Get tickets for a community art and film event sponsored by Proud Stutter on October 9 in San Francisco ----- Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh Compton, Pablo Meza, Matt Didisheim, Alexandra Mosby, Ingo Helbig, Jonathan Reiss, Jason Smith, Paige McGill, Wayne Engebretson, Swathy Manavalan, and Martha Horrocks. Learn more about Proud Stutter's impact campaign for its film project at proudstutter.org/impact If you can become a monthly donor at $10 or more, we’ll give you access to ad-free episodes and bonus Proud Stutter+ content as a token of our thanks! Make your tax deductible gift at https://bit.ly/3xLezBk.  Proud Stutter is proudly fiscally sponsored by Independent Arts & Media. Want to lean more about what Proud Stutter has to offer? Sign up here to stay in the loop and take advantage of our upcoming events, actions, and educational materials. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/proud-stutter/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    37 min

  8. 07/30/2025 · BONUS

    For Years, Justin Thought His Voice Was a Liability. Now It’s the Heart of His Mental Health Mission.

    This week on Proud Stutter, we’re joined by Justin McCullough, a longtime stutterer, technologist, and founder of the upcoming mental health platform, Eight Minute Chat. Justin opens up about growing up with a stutter after a major shift in his family dynamic, how it impacted his high school and college experiences, and the quiet persistence that shaped his career in tech. From building his first software system at a community college to launching his own company, Justin reflects on how stuttering has influenced his drive to prove himself, and how it’s intertwined with his sense of self-worth, timing, and voice. We also talk about his latest project: Eight Minute Chat, a new initiative designed to offer people a space to offload mental stress in the moment--whether by phone, text, or in person. Rooted in empathy and lived experience, the idea came from a college student’s story and has since grown into something that could help bridge the gap between therapy and friendship. This episode dives into first impressions, filler words, what it means to be seen beyond your stutter, and the emotional complexity of navigating speech in a fast-paced world. Subscribe to updates on Eight Minute Chat at eightmin.org. ----- 🎟 Get early bird tickets for Proud Stutter’s Annual Gala on October 9 in San Francisco ----- Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh Compton, Pablo Meza, Matt Didisheim, Alexandra Mosby, Ingo Helbig, Jonathan Reiss, Jason Smith, Paige McGill, Wayne Engebretson, Swathy Manavalan, and Martha Horrocks. Learn more about Proud Stutter's impact campaign for its film project at proudstutter.org/impact If you can become a monthly donor at $10 or more, we’ll give you access to ad-free episodes and bonus Proud Stutter+ content as a token of our thanks! Make your tax deductible gift at https://bit.ly/3xLezBk.  Proud Stutter is proudly fiscally sponsored by Independent Arts & Media. Want to lean more about what Proud Stutter has to offer? Sign up here to stay in the loop and take advantage of our upcoming events, actions, and educational materials. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/proud-stutter/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    37 min
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4.9
out of 5
73 Ratings

About

A podcast about changing how we understand and talk about stuttering, one conversation at a time.

Information

  • Creator
    Maya Chupkov
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    110
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Proud Stutter

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