NSA Spotlight: Mia Lawalin on Stuttering, Speaking Out, and Reclaiming the Stage

For years, Mia Lawalin sat in speech therapy sessions where the ultimate goal was fluency. For many of us who pursued speech therapy, that’s a familiar story. But when she reached her senior year of high school, she chose to do something completely different. 

Mia Lawalin

She delivered her valedictorian graduation speech as an overt person who stutters to show her younger self that she didn’t have to hide who she was anymore.

Why Mia Said Yes to the Mic

“Growing up, I went through a lot of speech therapists,” Mia said. “Unfortunately, many of them weren't very affirming. One had me list three life goals I wanted to do fluently, and one of mine was giving the valedictorian speech.”

Over time, Mia shifted from chasing fluency to embracing her stutter as part of her identity. When the opportunity came to give the graduation speech, she bravely took it.

“I decided to give the speech to prove to myself it was OK to stutter — and maybe a little out of spite for the therapists who told me I had to be fluent to be ‘good’ at public speaking.”

Her Biggest Fear? Being Mocked

Mia wasn’t afraid of public speaking itself. Rather, she was afraid of being judged.

“I was more angry than nervous,” Molly admitted. “Angry that I had spent so many years not speaking like this because I thought I was a bad speaker. My biggest concern was that my classmates behind me would laugh or roll their eyes. I didn’t get along with them and didn’t have many friends growing up.”

But she focused on a bigger mission to speak for the child she used to be and for others still waiting to hear someone like them at the podium.

How She Prepared (Practically & Emotionally)

The week before graduation, Mia practiced her speech often. She reminded herself that a child with a speech difference might be waiting to hear someone speak like them confidently and unashamedly. And she revealed that she was that child for years.

So… What Happened?

“I stuttered quite a bit during my speech,” Mia recalled. “Lots of repetitions, a few blocks, and one really long block. I just took a breath and kept going.”

And then something unexpected happened.

At the beginning of my speech, I said, “After years of speech therapy and six different therapists, I still stutter when I speak. And there’s still a voice in my head telling me I’m embarrassing myself… but I’m learning to stop listening to that voice.” The entire amphitheater erupted into applause. I wasn’t even halfway through the speech yet!

That moment (as well as what came after) changed everything.

“So many people told me they related. I expected the stuttering community to respond, but I didn’t expect the general public to embrace it so well.”

Mia Lawalin's Advice for Others Who Stutter

Mia tells others who stutter to do the things they want to do, even if they scare them or make them anxious.

“When I first started my acceptance journey, I forced myself to speak in a way that made me nervous every day: I raised my hand in class, made small talk with a cashier, made a phone call...Eventually, I gave a speech to hundreds of people. Once you do something big, everything else feels small.”

How It Changed Her Life

Beyond the amphitheater, that speech opened a new chapter in Mia’s life. She shared it on social media and connected with others who stutter. When she attended college, she self-disclosed on day one and made genuine friends almost immediately. 

“Self-disclosure made it easier to learn, too. I wasn’t anxious all the time or scared to speak, and I could actually pay attention in class. My stutter became a small part of my identity instead of a looming problem I had to fix.”

Does Stuttering Belong at Graduation? Mia Says Yes

Mia believes schools have a responsibility to reflect all forms of diversity, including speech differences.

“We rarely see people with disabilities represented in TV, books, music… and definitely not people who stutter. Since schools are spaces for learning, they should lead by example. Having different speaking styles at events like graduation is one great way to normalize communication diversity.”

Mia’s story shows that being a strong communicator isn’t exclusive to fluency. Authenticity is also important. By showing up as herself, she made space for others to do the same.

For more information and resources about stuttering, visit the NSA’s website at WeStutter.org.