Our History
For 25 years, SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young (formerly Our Time Theatre Company) has offered innovative, life-changing programs for young people who stutter, along with vital support for their parents, caregivers, educators, and speech professionals. Taro Alexander, an actor, director, teacher, and person who stutters, founded the organization in 2001 to provide a truly unique and accepting environment for children who stutter.
Over the last 25 years, SAY has become a multifaceted organization offering programs that address the physical, social, and emotional impacts of stuttering. From Camp SAY, to Confident Voices, to Speech Therapy, to Camp SAY Across the USA, to The Storytellers Project, to SAY: DC, our programming has evolved to meet the holistic needs of a wide range of participants all over the country and even those who come from abroad. All of our offerings are either free or offered on a sliding scale, and no one has ever been turned away due to the inability to pay.
SAY’s Milestones
October 2001: Our Time begins
On Saturday, October 20, 2001, Our Time Theatre Company, “an artistic home for young people who stutter,” held its first gathering on West 54th Street in NYC, led by Taro Alexander. The first cohort of seven teenage participants spent that first year developing a strong writing and performing ensemble that would go on to be the template for all the innovative programming that was to come. With the help of an awesome volunteer staff of Teaching Artists and Founding Musical Director, Everett Bradley, Our Time began with an emphasis on the performing arts, supporting children and teens in writing their own plays, songs, and choreography.
March 2002: A National Honor at the Kennedy Center
Just five months after opening its doors, Our Time was honored by the National Council on Communicative Disorders at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. It was an extraordinary early recognition for a young organization. Annie Glenn and Senator John Glenn were honored guests at the event, and meeting both of them was a major highlight and inspiration for Taro, who would later be presented with the Annie Glenn Award, seventeen years later, at the 2019 ASHA conference.
June 2002: Our Time performs its first show
After seven months of writing and rehearsing, the first-ever Our Time show was ready for prime time. On Friday, June 7, 2002, at the Blue Heron Theatre on East 24th Street in NYC, then 14-year-old David Nachman waited in the wings, ready to enter. The theatre was sold out, standing room only. Everyone was waiting to see what this theatre company for people who stutter was all about. David took the stage, spoke the first words of an Our Time show, and the rest is history.
June 2002: Our Time Goes to Disneyland
A week later, Our Time hit the road for its first performance at the National Stuttering Association’s Annual Conference in Anaheim, California. The trip brought the ensemble into a larger community of people who stutter and included a little Disneyland magic.
June 2003: Our Time’s First Annual NYC Benefit Gala
Our Time hosted its inaugural benefit gala, honoring acclaimed actor, playwright, and person who stutters, Austin Pendleton. The evening launched a tradition of bringing artists, advocates, families, and friends together to celebrate young people who stutter and raise vital funds for the organization.
October 2004: Pre-Teen Group Begins
After three wonderful years of working with teenagers, Our Time welcomed its first group of pre-teens. The response was immediate and enthusiastic, opening the door for younger children to experience the creativity, connection, and acceptance at the heart of the organization.
January 2005: First One Act Play Project Production
Looking for a way to challenge the older teenagers who had been in Our Time for several years, the One Act Play Project began. Teens wrote and directed original plays that were performed by professional actors. Not only did the teens tell their stories, but they also had to communicate their respective artistic visions to their actors and designers, thus making their stories come to life in an Off-Broadway Production. This would begin 21 years (and counting!) of One Acts with over 60 One Act writers and directors so far. Read more here.
July 2006: Our Time Crosses the Atlantic
Our Time traveled to Dublin, Ireland, to perform at the Fifth World Conference on Fluency Disorders, taking the stage at historic Trinity College. The trip sparked lasting international friendships, including one with a young person named Bevin, who would travel from Ireland to attend the very first Camp SAY two summers later.
October 2007: StoryCorps
Our Time was honored to share more about stuttering with StoryCorps. Taro’s story even aired on NPR. Listen here!
March 2008: Bill Withers meets Our Time kids
This was an unforgettable day. The music legend, Bill Withers, along with his wife, Marcia, came to NYC to meet the young people of Our Time. A couple of months later, Our Time honored Mr. Withers with the Hero Award. Years later, Marcia and Bill were both inducted into the SAY: Hall of Fame, following the very first inductee, Mr. Joe Moglia. Marcia went on to become a SAY board member, and the Withers family became cherished champions of SAY, with their support and involvement continuing to this day. Our Time was also featured in Still Bill, a feature-length documentary about the life and work of Bill Withers.
August 2008: The First-Ever Camp Our Time
Twenty-seven young people from all across the U.S. and abroad came together in Rock Hill, New York, for the first Camp Our Time, now known as Camp SAY. What began as a one-week overnight camp would grow into one of SAY’s most beloved traditions, bringing young people who stutter together each summer for friendship, adventure, self-expression, and the freedom to simply be themselves.
June 2009: Our Time releases the LISTEN Album
Listen: A Benefit Album For Our Time is released, featuring artists like Carly Simon, Daryl Hall, Kelli O’Hara, Michael Cerveris, Mandy Patinkin, Adriane Lenox, Mary Testa, Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, John Forte, Duncan Sheik, Nicki Richards, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Sherie Rene Scott, Norm Lewis, Ann Hampton Callaway, STOMP, Blue Man Group, and more. The album, a collection of fifteen original songs, was written by young people who stutter and was recorded by iconic artists, along with the young people of Our Time. Some of the tracks were recorded at Jon Bon Jovi’s personal recording studio at his home in New Jersey. The album was produced by SAY’s Founding Musical Director, Everett Bradley, and Gregg Parratto and released on Sh-K-Boom Records. Listen to the album here.
November 2009: Our Time’s First Film Festival
Our Time’s first film festival gave young filmmakers the chance to write and star in their own short films. Then came the red carpet: a premiere at the Directors Guild of America Theatre in New York City, where the stars of the evening were the young storytellers themselves.
May 2011: First Mentor Project Show
As the organization continues to grow, Our Time began the Mentor Project, where a child who stutters, a teen who stutters, and an adult who stutters (often an Alumnus of the organization) are grouped together to create and perform a short piece which is presented to the public at an Off-Broadway theatre. This project continues to this day as one of our signature programs.
August 2011: First Camp Our Time in North Carolina
Horseback riding, the Blue Ridge Mountains, two lakes, a zip-line, and so much more. Enrollment continued to grow each year, and we were proud to call Hendersonville, NC home for seven amazing years.
August 2011: Our Time’s Speech Therapy program was founded
Under the guidance of Caryn Herring, Speech-Language Pathologist, a person who stutters, and a long-time Our Time volunteer, Our Time added holistic Speech Therapy to its offerings. The Speech Therapy program has continued to play a vital role in the organization’s impact for 15 years and counting.
Back in 2006, while preparing for a Broadway role playing a character who stutters, Paul Rudd connected with Taro and met the incredible young people in Our Time’s community. Since then, Paul has become one of SAY’s biggest champions, performing with participants, serving on SAY’s Board for over 15 years, and hosting the beloved Paul Rudd Bowling Benefit each year to support SAY’s life-changing programs.
January 2013: First Songwriting Concert
Under the direction and leadership of our Founding Musical Director Everett Bradley, the Our Time kids and teens wrote and performed original songs at the Public Theatre’s Joe’s Pub in NYC. Backed by a band of top-notch NYC musicians, the kids brought the packed house to their feet. This program is still going strong today, and concert day is one of the most fun and anticipated days of the year, every year.
July 2013: Chicago Performance
While on a National Tour of the Broadway hit show The Book of Mormon, then Our Time volunteer (now SAY’s long-time Artistic Director), Travis Robertson, along with Our Time Alumni Jonathan Greig and Board Member Corey Caporale, put together the first Our Time program outside of NYC. It was an 8-week program in the summer in Chicago. Leigh and Taro (along with their three kids) flew out to enjoy an incredible show! It was the start of something magical, and it was just a short time later that Travis joined the organization full-time.
August 2013: First Bike/Hike 720
Board Member and person who stutters Corey Caporale had a bold idea: bike from Chicago all the way to Camp Our Time in North Carolina to raise awareness and funds for the organization. His extraordinary 720-mile journey became a beloved tradition, with cheering campers eagerly awaiting his arrival at the finish line.
2014 Our Time rebrands to SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young
After more than a decade of empowering young people, Our Time embraced a new name: SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young. The change reflected an expanding mission and a growing range of programs, while preserving the spirit that started it all: creating a world where every young person who stutters knows their voice matters.
May 2014: SAY Rings the NASDAQ Bell
As SAY’s impact continued to increase, the organization was invited to ring the bell at NASDAQ, with the proceedings broadcast on live TV and beamed from the jumbotron looking out over Times Square. A thrilling moment of visibility for SAY and the entire stuttering community.
August 2014: George Springer becomes National Spokesperson for SAY
When Mr. Springer entered the MLB as a rookie, he brought more than his powerful game to the Houston Astros. He also brought a passion for making a difference in the lives of young people who stutter. George partnered with SAY from the start of his professional career, becoming SAY’s National Spokesperson. Ever since entering the global spotlight, George has talked candidly about his experience as a person who stutters, inspiring young people with his message of personal authenticity, self-confidence, and joy. George spreads the word about SAY every chance he gets. Through his advocacy, George has impacted countless lives and helped SAY raise millions of dollars to send low-income families to Camp SAY.
September 2014: Performed on The Meredith Viera Show
SAY’s young performers appeared on The Meredith Vieira Show, bringing their voices and message to a national audience. The day became even more memorable when Josh Groban made a surprise appearance after the group performed one of his songs.
July 2015: Ant-Man Screening with Paul Rudd
SAY already knew Paul Rudd was a superhero. Then he became Ant-Man! Paul invited the SAY community to a special screening of his Marvel film, creating an unforgettable day for the kids and families who had come to know him as a friend and champion.
July 2015: First George Springer Bowling Benefit in Houston
George hosted, and his fans and teammates came out to support the cause, and a wonderful time was had by all; the first of many successful events with the beautiful SAY community in Houston.
October 2015: Bill Withers Carnegie Hall Tribute Concert
SAY’s kids performed with Michael McDonald for almost 3,000 people at this spectacular tribute concert for music icon, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee & longtime SAY supporter, Bill Withers. The concert also featured Ed Sheeran, Aloe Blacc, Branford Marsalis, and many more, with all proceeds from the show benefiting SAY. Taro, Everett, Mr. Withers, and the kids of SAY even opened the show by doing SAY’s signature “Hype,” center stage to huge cheers from the audience! Rolling Stone covered the spectacular evening.
December 2015: Imagine. John Lennon’s 75th Birthday Concert at Madison Square Garden
Two months after SAY’s Carnegie Hall concert, SAY kids performed Happy Xmas/War Is Over with Sheryl Crow, Peter Frampton and Aloe Blacc at this all-star concert celebrating the music of John Lennon. The line-up also included Eric Church, John Fogerty, Willie Nelson, The Roots, Steven Tyler, and host Kevin Bacon. The concert was recorded for national television.
October 2016: Dame Helen Mirren Shines a Spotlight on SAY
As Variety’s “Power of Women” award recipient, Dame Helen Mirren selected SAY as her partner charity, created a special SAY promotional video, and invited SAY participant, Reuben, to join her on-stage to accept the award in LA. The Lifetime video was viewed by millions, and SAY received two full-page ads in Variety magazine to help spread the word about stuttering.
May 2017: A Million-Dollar Night for SAY
Dame Helen Mirren and Kelli O’Hara hosted SAY’s 15th Anniversary Chefs’ Gala, honoring Jeffrey Blitz, Bettina and Michael Klein, and Joe Moglia. More than 800 guests attended a star-studded performance, featuring SAY’s kids, honorees, and celebrity friends. 500+ guests then joined for a chefs’ tasting (led by a SAY Board Member, a person who stutters, and award-winning Chef Marc Vetri) and a live auction. This record-breaking event raised more than $1,000,000 to help even more children from low-income families attend SAY programs throughout the year.
November 2017: National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award
SAY was honored to be recognized as a leader in arts education programming as the Confident Voices program won the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award. This award recognizes the country’s best creative youth development programs that utilize the arts and humanities to generate a broad range of participant successes, including increased academic achievement, high school graduation rates, and college enrollments. The award was presented to SAY in Washington, DC, by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
December 2017: Kelli O’Hara Concert for SAY in Irvington, NY
SAY’s dear friend and Tony Award-winning artist, Kelli O’Hara, graced the stage in Irvington, NY, to raise money and awareness for SAY. It was a magical evening as a group of SAY kids joined Kelli on stage for the finale.
July 2018: Camp SAY: Across the USA begins
What if more young people could experience the magic of Camp SAY without traveling far from home? Camp SAY: Across the USA made that vision a reality, bringing the organization’s signature combination of creativity, connection, and community to cities across the country. From Houston (hosted by George Springer) and Memphis to Charlotte (hosted by Michael Kidd-Gilchrist), Los Angeles, Orlando, and Washington, DC, new friendships and SAY communities began taking shape.
August 2018: First Camp SAY in PA
Many magical moments took place in East Stroudsburg, PA. A gorgeous lake, beautiful tennis and basketball courts, an indoor theatre, and spectacular cabins were just a few of the highlights. But more than anything, the Camp SAY family continued to grow and thrive in PA. Camp SAY was also delighted to welcome a special guest that summer: NBA player and person who stutters Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (MKG) surprised the campers by showing up just in time to join the Counselors during the annual Campers v. Counselor basketball game. No one will ever forget the look on the campers’ faces when MKG was introduced and took center court for the tip-off! Michael also stayed after the game to share his story and answer questions from the campers.
July 2019: SAY Goes Down Under!
SAY’s mission crossed another ocean when longtime Camp SAY staff member (now Camp SAY Director) Rich Stephens founded SAY: Australia. Inspired by the transformative experiences he had witnessed in the United States, Rich set out to bring that same spirit of acceptance, creativity, and community to young people who stutter
in Australia.
October 2019: My Beautiful Stutter Premieres at film festivals across the country
My Beautiful Stutter, a feature-length documentary about SAY and Camp SAY, premiered at film festivals across the country. The film follows five kids who stutter, from all walks of life, who, after experiencing years of bullying and stigma, meet other children who stutter at SAY. With a narrative spanning the course of a year, we witness firsthand the incredible transformation that happens when these young people from different backgrounds experience for the first time the revolutionary idea at the heart of SAY: that it’s okay to stutter. The film’s Executive Producers are Paul Rudd, Mariska Hargitay, Peter Hermann, and George Springer. The film was directed by Ryan Gielen and produced by Ryan Gielen and Michael Alden. My Beautiful Stutter has been screened all over the world and has won numerous awards at various film festivals. Countless people have found out about SAY through the film, including while traveling on American Airlines, as the film has been showing on all domestic flights for years. It is also available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, and Vimeo On Demand.
November 2019: Taro receives The Annie Glenn Award
Taro received the Annie Glenn Award from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in Orlando, Florida. The recognition was especially meaningful because three SAY participants joined the celebration to speak and perform, bringing the organization’s mission to life for the audience.
December 2019: SAY: DC begins
SAY: DC launched in the nation’s capital in 2019, bringing a new year-round program to kids and teens who stutter in the Washington, DC area. SAY: DC was Co-Founded by Leigh Pennebaker and Taro Alexander. For Taro, it was a homecoming since he grew up in DC and had always wanted to give back to the community that gave him so much. Under Leigh’s direction and leadership, the SAY: DC community continues to grow and thrive.
2020: Growing the community through a Pandemic
When the world shut down in March of 2020, the need for young people to connect with each other and continue to build confidence and community only increased. With the need for support becoming stronger than ever, SAY quickly shifted its programming to provide robust online offerings. SAY created a weekly Global Campfire where anyone and everyone involved in the organization could connect via Zoom. SAY took its signature Camp SAY Morning Song tradition and began performing Morning Song for the World every single day on Instagram Live, a daily ritual that ran for two and a half months without skipping a day. SAY also held multiple Virtual Benefit Galas to continue to raise much-needed funds for the organization while elevating awareness about stuttering.
September 2021: In The Spotlight PSA
SAY partnered with the award-winning agency BBDO to create a one-minute PSA titled In The Spotlight. Subsequently, SAY’s friends at BBDO were instrumental in securing a feature on NBC’s The Today Show, including the world premiere of In The Spotlight.
January 2022: First Camp SAY: Australia
A new chapter began for SAY: Australia with its first overnight summer camp. Young people who stutter came together for the friendships, adventures, creativity, and sense of belonging that have made Camp SAY so meaningful to families around the world.
June 2023: Camp SAY Crosses Another Border: Hello, Toronto!
When longtime SAY National Spokesperson George Springer joined the Toronto Blue Jays, he brought his commitment to SAY along with him. The first Camp SAY day camp in Toronto introduced a new community of young people to the SAY experience. And the adventure didn’t end at camp: participants attended a Blue Jays game, where one lucky camper threw out the first pitch! A few months later, SAY was back in Canada for the first Bowling Benefit with George in Toronto. The event was filled with many of George’s teammates, and it was a wonderful opportunity to educate the community about George’s work with SAY and raise money to help send kids to Camp SAY.
October 2024: Soul Music episode on BBC Radio
SAY was honored to be featured on BBC Radio as Taro discussed the impact that Bill Withers’ classic song, Lovely Day, has had on his life. Listen to the episode here.
October 2024: Find Your Light Foundation Gala featuring SAY – NYC
Four SAY participants were invited to perform at Jazz at Lincoln Center as part of Josh Groban’s Find Your Light Gala. It was wonderful to reconnect with Mr. Groban after all these years and for him to see how much the SAY kids had grown up since he last saw them, ten years ago.
January 2025: 1st Annual Benefit Gala in Washington, DC
The SAY Gala tradition arrived in Washington, DC! Tony Award-winner and longtime SAY champion Kelli O’Hara hosted an unforgettable evening celebrating the young people of SAY: DC. The event honored renowned speech-language pathologist Vivian Sisskin and showcased the creativity, courage, and incredible spirit of the DC community.
July 2025: First Camp SAY in Texas
This was SAY’s first summer in Texas at the newly-built, state-of-the-art, innovative, and Ultra-Accessable™ Morgan’s Camp. The whole SAY community was blown away by the resort-like facilities. With all indoor spaces completely climate-controlled, campers luxuriated in the beautiful dining hall, cabins, art studio, theater, and gym, had the thrill of a lifetime on the TWO zip-lines, enjoyed the refreshing pool and relaxing LAZY RIVER, and everyone adventured themselves silly at the rock-climbing wall, archery pavilion, and challenge course. The equestrian program and wildlife center provided exciting and awe-inspiring chances to interact and learn from a whole myriad of friendly creatures and their caretakers. Add to all this SAY’s traditional campfires with s’mores, the flash mobs, the Morning Songs, the friendships, and more – all a short 30 minutes from the San Antonio Airport. The community has LOVED calling San Antonio home to Camp SAY, and the organization looks forward to many more years of awesome times and life-changing experiences there.
Since our founding, our leadership team has presented important information about stuttering in a broad range of settings across the world, including educational institutions such as Columbia University, NYU, CUNY, and more; New York City Department of Education Staff Development Days; conferences & conventions including the National Stuttering Association Conferences across the US; American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention; Friends Conferences (from New Jersey to San Francisco); the International Fluency Association World Congress in Montreal & Dublin; and VSA Arts in Washington, D.C.
SAY’s innovative year-round programming began with an emphasis on the performing arts and expanded to a broad range of confidence building activities.
We have received several prestigious awards including the 2017 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, the Charles Van Riper Award from the National Council on Communicative Disorders (awarded at the Kennedy Center), and a Special Citation from the NY State Speech-Language Hearing Association.
Our organization is featured frequently in the press, including: The Meredith Vieira Show, ABC News, CBS Sunday Morning, NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, TODAY, 20/20, The New York Times, New York Magazine, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and many more.
Please visit our press area to see these exciting features and more.
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We believe every voice matters. Please help us continue to transform lives!
