Because Everyone Deserves A Voice

Fun fact:  I do not plan my outfits for work.  I have a drawer that is specifically set aside for my work attire.  I take whatever t-shirt/pant combo that is at the top of the drawer and go about my day.  There are exceptions to this rule.  Sometimes, we have spirit week at work, and I need to wear a certain t-shirt.  When that happens, I’ll pull out the right t-shirt the night before.  Those weeks are few and far between.  My routine nowadays is consistently to grab and go.  Yesterday morning, my outfit consisted of my black t-shirt that has my speech-language pathologist credentials printed on the front of the shirt.  The back of the shirt reads “Because everyone deserves a voice”. 

The atmosphere is charged in America right now because African-Americans are adamant saying that we want our voices to be heard.  The irony for me is that my shirt was purchased a long time ago.  I was not thinking of the plight of Black America.  I was thinking about all the kids that I come in contact with on a daily basis.  Kids that have thoughts and emotions that they are unable to express.  They have needs that are unmet because they can’t communicate in a way that the average person can understand.  But everyone deserves a voice.

One of the joys of my job is that I’m able to help those children find their voice.  Before becoming an SLP, I thought obtaining a degree in speech-language pathology would give me a clear-cut answer on how to fix every communication issue.  That was NOT the case.  We learned theories.  We learned strategies.  We were taught how to use evidence-based practice.  But in day to day practice, I learned that there were no guarantees.  Every child’s deficits were different.  They all learn in different ways.  I had to learn to tweak my approach to match THEIR needs.  They didn’t care what I learned in school.  When the tried and true techniques failed, I learned flexibility.  I also learned to ask colleagues for help.  I couldn’t let my pride deter the kid’s progress, because everyone deserves a voice.

Any speech-language pathologist will tell you that a patient who is unable to communicate their needs will become frustrated.  Whether the patient is two years old or ninety-two years old, they know when people don’t understand them.  Typically, one of two things will happen.  One, they will withdraw and not attempt to communicate.  Or two, they will make sure that everyone knows how frustrated they are.  Do you know how sad it is to see a kid that desperately wants to communicate give up?  I do.  When that happens, I check myself and think of ways to encourage them.  I do not want them to give up.  Because everyone deserves a voice.

My experience in therapy has given me the invaluable gift of deciphering speech that is unintelligible to the average person.  The family doesn’t like to play Mad Gabs with me, because years of listening carefully to speech have honed that skill.  Add my competitive edge, and it’s an unfair fight.  I wish that America would step back and take the time to really listen to what Black America is saying.  To sit down and take in the Black experience.  Because beyond the frustration, there is a message.  America has not been trained in listening to the Black experience, so it’s uncomfortable.  It will take careful concentration.  It will require a concerted effort.  But it’s necessary because everyone deserves a voice. #wepreach