Virtual Kickoff of “ROCK OF HOPE” Crowdfunding Campaign

Join Proud Stutter to kick off its documentary “ROCK OF HOPE” crowdfunding campaign. Attendees will get to be one of the first ones to preview the film’s pledge video, which includes never-before-seen footage and behind-the-scenes clips. Special guest speaker is Isaac Bailey, author of My Brother Moochie and award winning journalist.

What is Proud Stutter?

Proud Stutter is a nonprofit that celebrates and advocates for speech diversity. Founder Maya Chupkov has stuttered all her life, and it has inspired her to become a stuttering advocate and community organizer. She is working to shift societal norms around stuttering and the disability community overall.

Listen to the Proud Stutter podcast where you can meet people who stutter and learn why advocating for verbal diversity matters.

“…informative, honest and insightful interviews with people who stammer." 

- The Guardian

What to expect at the Event

Early preview of “ROCK OF HOPE” Pledge Video

Special guest speaker Isaac Bailey

Good company and conversation with the Proud Stutter community

Learn more about stuttering

• Roughly 1% of the population has been diagnosed with some form of stuttering, but the actual number is thought to be much higher.

• Many famous people stutter, including Emily Blunt, Winston Churchill, Marilyn Monroe, Ed Sheeran, and even Joe Biden.

• Stuttering tends to run in families and may have a genetic component

• People who stutter don’t do so when they sing because this uses a different part of the brain.

• Stuttering is more prevalent in men than women, with roughly four times as many men stuttering.

• Stuttering is highly situational. A person may not stutter one day and struggle with a lot the next.

We look forward to seeing you!

THANK YOU

We offer our deepest gratitude to California Humanities for their most generous investment in “ROCK OF HOPE.”

Free Community Event - Enjoy Small Bites  -  Support a Good Cause

Join Proud Stutter to kick off its documentary “ROCK OF HOPE” crowdfunding campaign. Attendees will get to be the first to preview the film’s pledge video, which includes never-before-seen footage and behind-the-scenes clips. Enjoy food, wine, and good company. This event is FREE and open to the public.

What is Proud Stutter?

Proud Stutter is a nonprofit that celebrates and advocates for speech diversity. Founder Maya Chupkov has stuttered all her life, and it has inspired her to become a stuttering advocate and community organizer. She is working to shift societal norms around stuttering and the disability community overall.

Listen to the Proud Stutter podcast where you can meet people who stutter and learn why advocating for verbal diversity matters.

“…informative, honest and insightful interviews with people who stammer." 

- The Guardian

What to expect at the Event

Premiere of “ROCK OF HOPE” Pledge Video

Wine & Small Bites

Special guest speakers

Good company

Learn more about stuttering

• Roughly 1% of the population has been diagnosed with some form of stuttering, but the actual number is thought to be much higher.

• Many famous people stutter, including Emily Blunt, Winston Churchill, Marilyn Monroe, Ed Sheeran, and even Joe Biden.

• Stuttering tends to run in families and may have a genetic component

• People who stutter don’t do so when they sing because this uses a different part of the brain.

• Stuttering is more prevalent in men than women, with roughly four times as many men stuttering.

• Stuttering is highly situational. A person may not stutter one day and struggle with a lot the next.

We look forward to seeing you!

THANK YOU

We offer our deepest gratitude to California Humanities for their most generous investment in “ROCK OF HOPE.”

Join the Proud Stutter community once a month via Zoom, run by creator Maya Chupkov. It’s a group of people who stutter and allies. Conversations vary each month from openly discussing stuttering or topics outside of stuttering.

You can register here for the January gathering.

Join the Proud Stutter community once a month via Zoom, run by creator Maya Chupkov. It’s a group of people who stutter and allies. Conversations vary each month from openly discussing stuttering or topics outside of stuttering.

Everyone is welcome! Email info@proudstutter.com for more information and to sign-up.

Join the Proud Stutter community once a month via Zoom, run by creator Maya Chupkov. It’s a group of people who stutter and allies. Conversations vary each month from openly discussing stuttering or topics outside of stuttering.

Everyone is welcome! Email info@proudstutter.com for more information and to sign-up.

Join the Proud Stutter community once a month via Zoom, run by creator Maya Chupkov. It’s a group of people who stutter and allies. Conversations vary each month from openly discussing stuttering or topics outside of stuttering.

Everyone is welcome! Email info@proudstutter.com for more information and to sign-up.

Join the Proud Stutter community once a month via Zoom, run by creator Maya Chupkov. It’s a group of people who stutter and allies. Conversations vary each month from openly discussing stuttering or topics outside of stuttering.

Everyone is welcome! Email info@proudsutter.com for more information and to sign-up.

Join the Proud Stutter community once a month via Zoom, run by creator Maya Chupkov. It’s a group of people who stutter and allies. Conversations vary each month from openly discussing stuttering or topics outside of stuttering.

Everyone is welcome!

Join the Proud Stutter community once a month via Zoom, run by creator Maya Chupkov. It’s a group of people who stutter and allies. Conversations vary each month from openly discussing stuttering or topics outside of stuttering.

Everyone is welcome!

Join the Proud Stutter community once a month via Zoom, run by creator Maya Chupkov. It’s a group of people who stutter and allies. Conversations vary each month from openly discussing stuttering or topics outside of stuttering.

Everyone is welcome!

Join the Proud Stutter community once a month via Zoom, run by creator Maya Chupkov. It’s a group of people who stutter and allies. Conversations vary each month from openly discussing stuttering or topics outside of stuttering.

Everyone is welcome!

Proud Stutter presents: Stuttering Spoken Word Night

Please join us for a night of storytelling, spoken word, poetry, and comedy to amplify & celebrate stuttering voices at the Stuttering Spoken Word Night! Hosted by podcaster and stuttering advocate Maya Chupkov, the evening's Slam will feature comedian Nina G and poet Adam Giannelli.

This event will take place on the first day of National Stuttering Awareness Week (May 8 - May 13).

About Maya Chupkov:

Maya Chupkov is a podcaster, stuttering advocate, and community organizer. As a woman who stutters, she is working to shift societal norms around stuttering and the disability community. Maya lives in San Francisco with her fiancé and dog. 

Maya hosts, produces and edits Proud Stutter, an Ambie Award-nominated podcast that releases new episodes every other Friday. Proud Stutter has appeared on The Guardian’s Top 5 Podcasts of the Week list and Apple Podcast’s New & Noteworthy within its first year. Maya secured coverage in over 60 media outlets and newsletters, including NPR, KQED, San Francisco Examiner, ABILITY Magazine, and San Diego Union-Tribune. Learn more at www.proudstutter.com. 

About Nina G:

Nina G is a comedian, professional speaker, comedy historical consultant and author of Stutterer Interrupted and Bay Area Stand-Up Comedy: A Humorous History.

She has been featured in/on everything from NPR's 51%, BBC's Ouch, Psychology Today, Tedx, KQED radio and multiple day time talk shows and podcasts.  She has shared the stage with legendary comedians like Don Novello (aka Father Guido Sarducci), Mort Sahl, Eddie Pepitone, Cathy Ladman and participated for 3 years straight at San Francisco's Comedy Day. Nina shares her wit and wisdom with corporations, colleges, libraries, conferences, and community events. 

May 2023 Nina will debut her first ever solo comedy album titled Stutterer Interrupted.  Her comedy special will follow later this summer.  Go to NinaGcomedian.com for information. 

About Adam Giannelli:

Adam Giannelli is the author of Tremulous Hinge (University of Iowa Press, 2017), winner of the Iowa Poetry Prize; the translator of Diadem (BOA Editions, 2012); a selection of prose poems by Marosa di Giorgio; and a person who stutters. His writing has appeared in the Kenyon Review, New England Review, New York Times Magazine, Washington Post Magazine, Ploughshares, and elsewhere. This visit to the Bay Area by Adam Giannelli is made possible in part by Headlands Center for the Arts. For more information, visit adamgiannelli.com.

RSVP HERE.

Assemblymember Robert Rivas introduced a resolution proclaiming the second week of May as Stuttering Awareness Week. To celebrate, Proud Stutter is organizing a community rally and press conference.

Stuttering community members, loved ones, and allies are encouraged to attend to show support for the resolution. Organizers ask attendees to wear sea foam green to show solidarity.

The rally will take place at the Vietnam War Memorial on Thursday, May 4 at 10:30 a.m.

List of speakers will be announced soon.

Proud Stutter presents: Stuttering Spoken Word Night

Please join us for a night of storytelling, spoken word, poetry, and comedy to amplify & celebrate stuttering voices at the Stuttering Spoken Word Night! Hosted by podcaster and stuttering advocate Maya Chupkov, the evening's Slam will feature comedian Nina G and poet Adam Giannelli.

This event will kickoff for National Stuttering Awareness Week, which begins officially on May 8, 2023. 

Event Timeline

7:15 pm - Doors open, complimentary wine and beer available at open bar

7:30 pm - Poetry slam and open mic begins

9:00 pm - Event concludes

About Maya Chupkov:

Maya Chupkov is a podcaster, stuttering advocate, and community organizer. As a woman who stutters, she is working to shift societal norms around stuttering and the disability community. Maya lives in San Francisco with her fiancé and dog. 

Maya hosts, produces and edits Proud Stutter, an Ambie Award-nominated podcast that releases new episodes every other Friday. Proud Stutter has appeared on The Guardian’s Top 5 Podcasts of the Week list and Apple Podcast’s New & Noteworthy within its first year. Maya secured coverage in over 60 media outlets and newsletters, including NPR, KQED, San Francisco Examiner, ABILITY Magazine, and San Diego Union-Tribune. Learn more at www.proudstutter.com. 

About Nina G:

Nina G is a comedian, professional speaker, comedy historical consultant and author of Stutterer Interrupted and Bay Area Stand-Up Comedy: A Humorous History.

She has been featured in/on everything from NPR's 51%, BBC's Ouch, Psychology Today, Tedx, KQED radio and multiple day time talk shows and podcasts.  She has shared the stage with legendary comedians like Don Novello (aka Father Guido Sarducci), Mort Sahl, Eddie Pepitone, Cathy Ladman and participated for 3 years straight at San Francisco's Comedy Day. Nina shares her wit and wisdom with corporations, colleges, libraries, conferences, and community events. 

May 2023 Nina will debut her first ever solo comedy album titled Stutterer Interrupted.  Her comedy special will follow later this summer.  Go to NinaGcomedian.com for information. 

About Adam Giannelli:

Adam Giannelli is the author of Tremulous Hinge (University of Iowa Press, 2017), winner of the Iowa Poetry Prize; the translator of Diadem (BOA Editions, 2012); a selection of prose poems by Marosa di Giorgio; and a person who stutters. His writing has appeared in the Kenyon Review, New England Review, New York Times Magazine, Washington Post Magazine, Ploughshares, and elsewhere. This visit to the Bay Area by Adam Giannelli is made possible in part by Headlands Center for the Arts. For more information, visit adamgiannelli.com.

Join the Proud Stutter community once a month via Zoom, run by creator Maya Chupkov. It’s a group of people who stutter and allies. Conversations vary each month from openly discussing stuttering or topics outside of stuttering.

Everyone is welcome!

Register on KQED’s Eventbrite. All Proud Stutter community members get FREE entry. Use discount code PROUDSTUTTER at check out.

Join us in person at the Podcast Garage in KQED for a workshop with Maya Chupkov, host, producer, creator, and editor of the Proud Stutter podcast, to learn DIY PR tips and tricks plus what’s actually worth spending money on. In the first hour, you will learn systemized approaches to winning on the PR front, which you'll be able to implement with your own spin. After the session, we will be serving light refreshments on the roof terrace!

Doors open at 6:00pm, event starts at 6:30pm. This is an in-person event and will not be livestreamed.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Maya Chupkov is a stuttering advocate and community organizer. As a woman who stutters, she is working to shift societal norms around stuttering and the disability community. Maya lives in San Francisco with her fiancé and dog.

ABOUT PROUD STUTTER

Proud Stutter is an Ambie Award-nominated podcast that releases new episodes every other Friday. The show is hosted by stuttering advocate Maya Chupkov who has 7+ years of PR and marketing experience. Proud Stutter has appeared on The Guardian’s Top 5 Podcasts of the Week list and Apple Podcast’s New & Noteworthy within its first year. Maya secured coverage in over 60 media outlets and newsletters, including NPR, KQED, San Francisco Examiner, ABILITY Magazine, and San Diego Union-Tribune. Learn more at www.proudstutter.com.

ABOUT PRX

The Podcast Garage is a project of PRX - a non-profit media company shaping the future of audio by producing and distributing content, building technology, and training talented, independent producers. PRX believes a strong public media is anchored in journalism, strengthened with diverse voices, and amplified by innovative technology. Our award-winning portfolio ranges from iconic public radio programs to a growing body of podcast-first productions. Each month we reach more than 28.5 million listeners and generate in excess of 70 million podcast downloads.

ABOUT KQED

KQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. A trusted news source and leader and innovator in interactive technology, KQED takes people of all ages on journeys of exploration — exposing them to new people, places and ideas.

REGISTER HERE

This workshop is a crash course on advocacy specifically tailored for the stuttering community and allies. Led by a self-advocate woman who stutters, this workshop will cover the different ways people who stutter can build advocacy in their communities. One of the strategies we will dig into is passing a local resolution in your city to recognize a stuttering holiday. This includes breaking down the local resolution process into tangible peices so you feel empowered and supported every step of the way.

Local resolutions can be a powerful tool to clarify who we are, why the stuttering community matters, and raise awareness on a local level. It will also provide participants with the tools to organize a community rally and how you can build a strong coalition.

The workshop will be led by a group of panelists who have experience passing local resolutions or who are in the middle of the process now.

- Maya Chupkov, Host/Creator, Proud Stutter
- Johnnie Pina, Lobbyist, League of California Cities
- Steff Lesback, Owner, Lebsack Speech Therapy
- Jenny Mcguire, Executive Director, MySpeech
- Priya Isaacs, Stutter Conversations

Presented by Proud Stutter

Link to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DQxzOT1uQcCO81o-wF2Mow

Join the Proud Stutter community once a month via Zoom, run by creator Maya Chupkov. It’s a group of people who stutter and allies. Conversations vary each month from openly discussing stuttering or topics outside of stuttering.

Everyone is welcome!

Maya is speaking with Jenn Trepeck of Salad With A Side of Fries Podcast about “DIY PR: Maximum Exposure on a Minimum Budget!” Do you want to learn how to create buzz around your own podcast and meet other creatives from around the world? Check out the conference at www.evolutions.podcastmovement.com.

Join the Proud Stutter community once a month via Zoom, run by creator Maya Chupkov. It’s a group of people who stutter and allies. Conversations vary each month from openly discussing stuttering or topics outside of stuttering.

Everyone is welcome!

Join the Proud Stutter community every 3rd Thursday of each month. It’s a group of people who stutter and allies run by Maya Chupkov. Conversations vary each month from openly discussing stuttering or topics outside of stuttering.

Everyone is welcome!

Proud Stutter is launching a new Instagram Live series called Stuttering Allies. Joseph De Leon will be the first guest, appear with Nina G. and Maya Chupkov of Proud Stutter podcast on the show's Instagram page. We will talk about Joseph and Nina’s upcoming Stuttering Awareness action involving a motorcycle ride to several Little Libraries across Sacramento. The new series aims to demonstrate what friends of people who stutter can do to promote and celebrate stuttering awareness. 

In partnership with SF Transit Month, Proud Stutter and Booksmith are proud to present a special event that puts a spotlight on stuttering and verbal diversity. In “Stuttering Stories Across San Francisco,” hear from people who stutter living and working in San Francisco talking about their stuttering experience and how we can all collaborate to understand that stuttering is just a different way of talking. Panelists include Dustin Wells, MUNI Driver, Nina G, comedian, Sebastian Scala, owner of Tony Nik’s and Proud Stutter's Maya Chupkov, who will moderate.

Please note:
> Safety: ID and proof of full vaccination, including booster, will be required at the door. Masks will be required throughout the duration of the event, capacity will be limited to allow indoor distancing, and we'll have extra ventilation in place.
> Because Booksmith is limiting capacity, they can't guarantee having space for walk-ins. The best way to ensure you’ll get a seat is to order a ticket through this link.
> If Boosmith feels it's not safe to gather, as the event gets close, we will pivot to a virtual event and your registration will remain valid.
> Questions? Write events@booksmith.com.

> Purching a $10 ticket is encouraged. In order to make our events accessible, we hold free tickets aside for those who can't afford to pay. All $10 tickets to this event comes with a $10 credit, good for any purchases made at Booksmith on the night of the event.

Whether it is in the classroom, in the newsroom, or in the workplace, we all want to feel safe and accepted for who we are. Proud Stutter is excited to present this panel for Stuttering Awareness Week 2022. Attend this live discussion to learn how you can start to create safe spaces for people who stutter!

Celebrate National Stuttering Awareness Week with Maya, Cynthia, the Proud Stutter Community and guests from Season 1. There will be a trivia game, prizes, and more! Don’t miss out on the chance to meet one another!

Join the SF Bay Area stuttering community to celebrate the SF City & County of San Francisco becoming the first city in the country to recognize the second week of May as Stuttering Awareness Week. The Press Conference will be in-person at the SF City Hall Steps.

A virtual option will be available on Proud Stutter’s Instagram Live: @proud stutter