Meet Our SAY Gala 2025 Honoree: Mitch Guerra
A message from Mitch:
“Dear friends: I had the pleasure of receiving the SAY: Hero Award at the SAY gala on Monday, June 2, 2025. I was so inspired to meet the youth of SAY and witness how this community is improving the lives of youth who stutter through summer camp, creative arts, and speech therapy – all working to create radical acceptance and encourage youth to follow their dreams. This is exactly what I wish I had when I was younger, and I’m so happy to be a part of making it available for kids now. Please join me in supporting this community by making a donation below. Every dollar matters, because SAY offers all of its programming either for free or on a sliding scale so that this community is truly accessible to kids who stutter from all backgrounds—which really matters to me. Thank you for helping change lives!”
– Mitch
About Mitch Guerra
Mitch Guerra, a proud Waco native, earned his undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University and went on to complete his master’s at Dallas Baptist University. With a deep commitment to supporting students through life’s varied challenges, Mitch brings both passion and authenticity to his work.
As someone who stutters, he speaks from personal experience, delivering a message rooted in resilience, inclusion, and optimism. In his current role as an elementary P.E. teacher and tennis coach, Mitch motivates kids to stay active and recognize the power in their own personal journeys. He believes that every obstacle—whether internal or external—holds the potential to foster meaningful growth.
Mitch’s journey gained national attention this year through his appearance on the 48th season of CBS’ SURVIVOR, where he proudly represented those who stutter and showed that being genuine and competitive aren’t mutually exclusive. Whether in the classroom, on the court, or on reality TV, Mitch continues to empower others to face their struggles with confidence and redefine the stories they tell about themselves.
It’s an incredible honor to receive the Hero Award from SAY. Getting to live out my dream on Survivor while sharing my journey as a person who stutters has been beyond anything I ever imagined. The experience changed my life, and my greatest hope is that it continues to inspire others to embrace their story and believe in their strengths.