Convention Keynoter: You Are Beacons for Those You Serve —Even Long After You Serve Them

Steve Pemberton overcame not having a family and experiencing violent abuse because a few people he encountered “saw” him. He used his experiences to inspire the ASHA 2019 Convention audience at his keynote address. Pemberton reminded the listeners that their work not only changes the immediate lives of the people they serve but continues for years and through generations. He started with the story of a kind stranger who saw a cute little boy living in foster care and for years occasionally brought him boxes of books her kids didn’t read anymore. Pemberton especially liked the mysteries, because his life was one big mystery about who he was? Who were his family? How did he end up in a violent home? He also learned hope from reading books like the classic “Watership Down,” in which a community of rabbits claws their way out of adversity to safety. At his elementary school, his place of escape, he won the spelling bee every year. At one of those spelling bees, a judge communicated through a look and a smile that she could see him and all of the potential he had. Pemberton never forget that look or that judge. Years later in high school, a classmate turned Pemberton on to Upward Bound. The program helps at-risk students achieve their dreams of going to college. He went to the informational meeting and the person running his school’s program was none other than that spelling bee judge. Pemberton enthusiastically begin working in Upward Bound, making his way along the ...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Tags: Audiology Events News Slider Speech-Language Pathology ASHA Convention Source Type: blogs