Hello, my name is Eric Hawkins. I struggled with stuttering for many years until a few years back when I made it a part of who I am. I still stutter some, but the weight of embarrassment has lifted. Thank you for what you do for those of us who stutter.
I played my first show because there was this girl I wanted to impress. At the time, the alternative-rock of the 90's was starting to give way to the the pop-punk of the early 00's - so we were listening to everything from Matchbox Twenty to All-American Rejects to Blink 182. Nobody else in the band wanted to sing, so I had to figure it out.
American Idol contestant Lazaro Arbos threw the judges — and the worldwide TV audience — for a loop when he stuttered during his audition on the show a few weeks ago.
Soon after my 40th birthday, I realized for the first time in my life that I was no longer preoccupied with how I was going to speak my next words. My mind had always been working overtime, searching for alternatives to avoid a struggle. No longer preoccupied with my speech, I was forced to confront the question of Who am I?
Board member Frances Cook was awarded an MBE* in the Queen's Birthday Honours on the 9th of November in London for her outstanding work with children who stammer.
The name Gareth Gates may not be recognized by some Americans, but he is one of the biggest pop stars in recent UK history. A singer-songwriter, Gates has branched off into musical theatre and film. Gareth Gates was born on July 12, 1984 in Bradford, England, one of four children of Paul and Wendy Gates; Paul Gates stuttered until age 21 when it miraculously disappeared.
A couple of nights ago, the stuttering community jumped for joy when Lazaro Arbos auditioned for American Idol. The social and media firestorm that ensued was amazing, which ultimately led to increased awareness and education for those about stuttering.
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