Madison Garcia refused to admit she had a stuttering problem. The speech disorder would come and go in phases. Talking on the phone or saying her name was sometimes problematic.
鈥淏ecause you feel like you can鈥檛 communicate,鈥� she says, 鈥測ou feel like you really don鈥檛 have a place in society. That was my biggest fear. If I ended up saying this is what I struggle with, I鈥檇 have to deal with it.鈥�
It wasn鈥檛 until she was a junior in high school that she finally went to see a speech therapist.
鈥淚鈥檓 predominately fluent and would only have difficulty in certain situations,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut I personally struggled and was in denial for years and years.鈥�
Visiting the speech therapist was just the first step. She says the following year was the most difficult in her life as she fought to come to terms with the disability.
Garcia, a sophomore major at 蜜桃传媒, has started the first fully established and chartered . The group will meet the second Sunday evening of each month starting Sunday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. at 蜜桃传媒鈥檚 . It鈥檚 free and open to the public.
鈥淢y goal and mission is to let people know that you have to realize that it鈥檚 OK or you will make your life so difficult,鈥� Garcia says. 鈥淚t just corrodes you from the inside out. To feel like you鈥檙e not good enough or to feel like you need to overcompensate or are constantly not reaching the bar, it really kills your spirit and diminishes you.
鈥淭he chapter is a place of support and encouragement and letting people know that we鈥檙e here for you.鈥�
Garcia grew up in Alhambra, Calif. and hopes to work in international politics and internationally as a disability advocate.
For more information about Santa Barbara, please contact Garcia at mgarcia@westmont.edu or (626) 786-3195.