Interview with Ryan Gielen

On today's episode we are chatting with Ryan Gielen!  Ryan is a film producer and took on the rolls of producer and director of the award-winning documentary "My Beautiful Stutter". This film follows five kids who stutter, ages 9 to 18, from all over the United States and all walks of life, who, after experiencing a lifetime of bullying and stigmatization, meet other children who stutter at an interactive arts-based program, The Stuttering Association for the Young, based in New York City. Though not a PWS or SLP himself, Ryan's interest in advocating for people who happen to stutter came when he attended the SAY (Stuttering Association for the Young) Gala. Ryan speaks about this experience and what led him to creating this documentary. Throughout the interview, Ryan addresses some of the profound stories he heard from PWS while filming, and how those stories affected him. He chats with Greg and Katelyn about the importance of this documentary, the feedback he has received, and the most rewarding parts of working on this project! Speaking as a person who does not stutter, Ryan shares a wonderful perspective on how to be an ally and an advocate for the stuttering community.  Music: Luca Dinu Production Team: Dr. Paul De Decker, Luca Dinu, Emily Murphy, Greg O'Grady, Katelyn Mayo