"Initiation" with Filmmaker and SLP Joshua Shah

Guest: Joshua A. Shah, MS, CCC-SLP

Earn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode: Complete the accompanying course online with Speech Therapy PD

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In a First Bite first, host Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, BCS-S, sits down with Joshua A. Shah, MS, CCC-SLP, a speech-language pathologist, filmmaker, and the creative force behind the upcoming film Initiation, a fictional narrative inspired by lived experiences related to stuttering and communication differences. Joshua and Michelle explore the responsibilities that come with representing communication differences accurately and compassionately and how language, storytelling, and visibility shape public understanding. Together, they examine the connection between communication and power, including how representation can influence whose voices are valued, amplified, or marginalized. Tune in now for a thoughtful, timely conversation, and stay tuned for the film that sparked it.

About the Guest(s): Joshua A. Shah is a filmmaker from Fremont, California. He currently serves as a home health speech-language pathologist, primarily working with individuals with neurological and communication impairments. He’s become inspired to bring the narratives of individuals with communication challenges to the silver screen and is dedicated to crafting these stories with both accuracy and creativity, challenging the current media landscape with empathetic storytelling.

Show Notes:

Contact Joshua: @shahjosh on Instagram

Love Money Cause: @initiationshortfilm on Instagram

“Initiation” Short Film: seedandspark.com/fund/initiation2026#story

The Stuttering Foundation: www.stutteringhelp.org

SPACE | Stuttering Organization: www.spacetostutter.org and @spacetostutter on Instagram

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat: www.oliversacks.com/oliver-sacks-books/the-man-who-mistook-his-wife-for-a-hat/

My Stroke of Insight: mystrokeofinsight.com/index.html

The Sound of Metal: www.imdb.com/title/tt5363618/

American Association for People with Disabilities: www.aapd.com

Able South Carolina: www.able-sc.org

First Bite Podcast: Subscribe and listen on Spotify or Apple Podcast

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