Every 1 Voice Matters

ABOUT FOUNDER

Every 1 Voice Matters > About Founder

About Us: Every 1 Voice Matters (E1VM)

Founder Sherrikka Myers seldom spoke to people due to fear that she would expose her stuttering and be teased. It wasn’t until middle school that she realized she had to do something about it. One day in 6th grade, she had to do the morning announcements over the loudspeaker. She could barely say her name, much less read the announcements. She was petrified to say anything more because now the entire school knew she was different.

From that day on, Sherrikka was determined to figure out how to get her stutter under control. Eventually, with a lot of patience, she learned techniques that helped curb her stuttering.

Sherrikka always wanted to help kids who stutter because of how it affected her life. Her grandson, Lil Herbert, also stutters. Wanting to spare him and other children from some of the difficulties she experienced during her childhood, Sherrikka has made it her mission with Every 1 Voice Matters to help those with speech impediments. She wants them to know they are not alone, stuttering can be conquered and that they can find their voice. Growing up with a stutter was hard and Sherrikka always wondered why this happened to her.

Now, she has the reason—Every 1 Voice Matters—your voice matters.

About Founder: Sherrikka Myers

To provide community outreach, education and support the poor and disadvantaged individuals and families of children who stutter to build proper speech techniques, self-esteem and self-confidence and improve quality of life.

METHODOLOGY

1. Obtain referrals from public and private agencies. 2. Conduct meetings, seminars and workshops for families in the community. 3. Provide group and individual counseling sessions to families and the at-risk youth residing in Berkeley, Dorchester and surrounding counties. 4. Network with other social service agencies in the community to provide families with 100% support. 5. Set up peer to peer interactions for sharing and emotional and social support. 6. Give our at-risk youth who stutter various experiential field trips to allow them to dream and keep them focused on the goals. 7. Engage with kids online with my Animated Series and Lil Herbie Book Series.

PROJECT GOALS/OBJECTIVE:

To promote the development of fluency, communication and coping skills for the individual who stutters and socialization, support and understanding in the community. 2. To change the methodology of addressing educational needs of at-risk youth and their families. 3. To facilitate altering behavioral characteristics that eliminate delinquency, recidivism and other unproductive behaviors among the at-risk populations in our community. 4. To link life skills and academic preparation together and improve one’s chances for a better future. 5. To offer unique training and enrichment programs that keep our at-risk youth who stutter engaged and moving closer to their goals, aspirations and dreams. 6. To establish safe, stable and nurturing home environments among families residing in Berkeley, Dorchester and surrounding counties. 7. To provide a disciplined and nurturing environment that promotes self-respect, self-esteem and self-worth while encouraging listening skills, caring behaviors and reinforcement of positive values. 8. To discourage drug and alcohol use while advocating mindfulness and healthier life choices.

DESIRED RESULTS

To give people who stutter a therapeutic environment in which they are not judged and where they can flourish while being supported and loved. 2 To change the lives of at-risk youth who stutter and their families, giving them something to believe in and see it manifest in front of their eyes. 3. To reduce the incidence of unemployed families in Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester and surrounding counties by breaking the feeling of helplessness and generational poverty. 4. To lower the incidence of social problems that come along with poverty: child abuse, spousal abuse, unplanned pregnancy, preventable illnesses and cases of substance and alcohol abuse. 5. To provide a variety of educational enrichment programs, enhancement programs and field trips to at-risk youth who stutter and their families in the community. 6. To develop a network of support services accessible and affordable to families in the community.