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Wealth Lee Jackson resides in Nashville, TN. He is a 14-year-old freshman in high school where he is a member of the cross-country team. He loves to study history and build things for fun! Wealth has attended Vanderbilt University’s Camp TALKS since he was a rising third grader. Wealth is dedicated to encouraging and educating SLPs, educators, parents, and students with communication challenges. Wealth believes he is way more than his stutter and anyone can get to know him if they take the time to listen. Please contact Wealth via his parents’ email address. |
About the Author: Wealth Jackson, a 14-year-old, shares how speakers and listeners, whether they stutter or not, benefit from “being in the moment” with one another.
Thank you for watching my video! I hope it encourages and inspires you to keep speaking the change you want to see! The message inside of you is powerful! Let is shine! – Wealth Jackson
I loved watching and hearing about your story. It was very inspiring and eye opening. I appreciate you sharing your story with all of us, and allowing me to get some perspective on you and your life. Your message about slowing down to listen to our peers is very important to hear and I am so happy to have watched your video. Thank you so much for sharing and reminding us all that sometimes we just need to slow down, listen, and pay attention to listen to peoples hearts.
Hello Maddygracei,
Thank you so much for being inspired by my video. My stuttering journey has taught me a lot. The number one lesson I learned is that you cannot do it alone. You have to have the courage to build a community because being a stutter is about all of us in this world learning how to appreciate and value each other despite our differences.
Regards,
Wealth
Hi Wealth!
Thank you for sharing! Your video will definitely inspire many teenagers! Nowadays, when all people are in a rush, it is helpful to remember to slow down and listen because if not, we are losing precious time and a valuable message.
Kind regards from Peru,
Cynthia
Hello Cynthia,
Yes, I hope my video inspires many teenagers to speak, slow down, and listen to others. We can create communities of people that always slow down to listen to people’s hearts and minds. People can receive powerful messages from different perspectives and different groups of people. This is why I encourage stutters to speak so they can find these communities that can listen and benefit from what they have to say. These communities can grow to have more patience and develop a deep compassion from stutters worldwide. If we do these things we will no longer lose precious time and valuable messages that can change peoples lives forever.
Regards,
Wealth
Hi Wealth,
I love hearing about the positive attitude you have towards life. You are right, you are so much more than your stutter. I try to remind myself all the time to slow down and soak up each and every moment. I enjoyed listening to your story and getting that reminder from a different perspective. Keep speaking up and sharing your story with others! You are powerful!
Blessings,
Paige Gonzalez
Hello Paige,
Thank you for your kind words. The positive attitude I have now did not come quickly. I had to learn to choose the best qualities about myself over the impatience from others. We just have to remember what stutterers have to say matters and if they continue to have the courage to keep speaking, we will be surprised with how many lives they will touch and impact. Everyone benefits when we give others the space to be present without fear.
Stay encouraged,
Wealth
Hi, Wealth!
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I’m in graduate school working to become a speech-language pathologist. Right now, we’re taking a stuttering class. Is there any advice you have for me when working with clients who stutter? Again, thank you so much for sharing your story! Slowing down and listening to others is extremely important in helping to grow and gain new perspective.
Taylor Williams
Hello,
The advice I would give you is to try to create a relationship with your client in each session. What I mean by this is to really get to know the client. I would create a safe enviroment where speech is embraced and encouraged. They should be able to talk to you about their day and share thier personal interest. The most important advice I can give to you is to see your client as a person rather than their speech impediment. Truly, if you can’t see them as a person first, it will be hard to build that connection of trust. Keep learning and growing, and you will become a great speech-language pathologist!
Blessing,
Wealth
Hi Wealth,
I really enjoyed how you said that if we could all just slow down and listen to each other, we can learn from each other. I think you made a good point that oftentimes people are just “go, go, go” and we lose sight of having actual meaningful conversations with each other. I am a graduate student studying to become a speech-language pathologist, and throughout my schoolwork, I have developed an appreciation for how often some people can be ignored or talked over/for. I had not really thought about it before. I liked your example of someone from the Deaf community. Another example would be someone with dementia or someone who has suffered a stroke and may take longer to talk. Too often, family, friends, and even doctors or other professionals will try to finish their sentences or speak to someone who is with them (such as a spouse) rather than talking TO the person. How lonely that must be to not be a part of the conversation or how frustrating it must be when others finish words or sentences instead of letting the person talk. Thank you for being so vulnerable and genuine in sharing this video. I really enjoyed hearing what you had to say.
-Holly
Hello,
I’m happy you were impacted by what I had to say. Yes, you are right it is very lonely and frustrating to not be a part of conversations. This is also negatively affects eveyone because nobody gets to benefit from what that stutterer has to say. So this causes a stop in creative and problem solving ideas that would help everyone. In truth, a person can be impatient and not listen to what a stutter has to say could miss something that could change their lives forever. I am very glad you have realized this fact. With this knowledge I know you will become a great speech-language pathologist!
Blessing,
Wealth
Hey Wealth,
I enjoyed hearing how stuttering has impacted you. I liked hearing your thoughts and feeling on the subject. Thank you for showing me the different perspectives you have.
Hello,
I am glad you enjoyed my message. If we all work together we can encourage others to develop compassion for stutterers. Understanding the courage it takes for a stutterer to speak will hopefully build some awareness. As a result, everyone can grow and learn from each other.
Blessing,
Wealth
Wow Wealth, you are spot on. I wish I had the words and the guts to tell my family, friends and classmates what you just said when I was your age. A simple explanation, no apologies, and with stuttering pride. I hope your message will help other young people who stutter to speak up and just it like it is.
Happy ISAD and keep talking
Anita
Thank You Anita for the encouragement! I’m grateful to have the opportunity to share my thoughts about my journey. It has grew me up tremendously in a challenging but positive way!
Wealth
Hey Wealth!
Thank you so much for sharing your story. This is a reminder that everyone needs sometimes to slow down and listen. The courage you had to share your story was inspiring. I am a graduate student working to become a speech-language pathologist, and I was wondering if you had any advice or things you think is important to know?
Thank you,
Avery
Hello Avery,
I would say don’t forget to be yourself with your clients. The relationship that is made in these sessions are just as much about you as it is about the client! Build that trust by sharing a connection! Listen to what they have to say more than how they are saying it. They will become more comfortable and willing to accept your instruction.
Wealth
Hello Wealth,
Let me start by saying I love your name! Thank you so much for sharing this video with us. As a future speech language pathologist who desires to work with teens and children, you have really helped me to realize how important it is to slow down and listen. When speaking to someone who stutters, it can be so easy to focus more on the stuttering and less on the importance of the message. Thank you for educating me and thank you for sharing your story. You are such an inspiration!!! 🙂
Wow Velma!
Thank you so much for your kind words. I am thankful for the opportunity to share my story. It makes my heart glad that it inspired so many!
Wealth
Hi Wealth,
Congratulations for sharing this video and your thoughts to a forum filled primarily with adults. It takes a lot of guts as a person who stutters to speak up, unapologetically and with conviction.
I am a person who stutters and definitely did not have the courage you’ve shown when I was your age.
I hope your high school peers recognize what a wonderful leader you are!
Pam
Thank you Pamela,
Yes, I learned that courage breaks down barriers. It has allowed me to gain friends I otherwise would have never had. Very quickly my friends just see my stutter as my own uniqueness other than something weird. This revelation has given me alot of confidence in my school presentations and taking on more leadership opportunities.
It has been an amazing journey so far!
Wealth
Hi Wealth,
Thank you so much for this message. I really needed this reminder today to slow down and prioritize the people around me in the present. I loved what you said about learning different perspectives from each person we meet. Every interaction is an opportunity to connect with another person and get a glimpse into a new set of ideas and a new perspective. Gosh this is a video that I feel like I want to listen to over and over because there is a lot to get out of it. There are so many valuable points you make that apply to tons of different aspects of life. I really appreciate your video and am so glad I got to hear what you have to say. I wish that I had your confidence and leadership skills when I was your age. You are already making such an awesome impact on the world.
-Cappi Priola