Emma Alpern will be reading at the Difficult to Name Fall Spectacular on Sept. 10.
You've done a lot of great work with stuttering advocacy this year. Could you tell me a bit about it?
The stuttering world in NYC is really thriving. We have three support groups every month that anyone can attend, and I planned NYC's first one-day conference for stutterers this spring with a group of friends. I also write about stuttering pretty frequently. It's an interesting disability community with a history of activism. We're trying to get back to that kind of thing so we can better help people who stutter when they face discrimination at work, in school, and elsewhere. My goals are to educate people about stuttering — there's a common misconception that stuttering is caused by anxiety, but it's actually a neurological disorder — and to make a space for people who stutter to open up, because a lot of people just never talk about it. Stuttering has been a struggle at times, but it's also given a lot of meaning to my life.
Tell people your thought about stuff like black cherry and lemon/lime flavors.
Black cherry is kind of indulgent and good with pizza. Lemon lime is bad for your teeth, but there's nothing better when you need some clarity. Pomegranate cherry won't be around forever, so let's enjoy it while we can.
What can people expect from your reading?
Expect to feel stronger, wiser, and more loved.