On a chilly day marking the start of February, students at Binghamton University’s Johnson City Center were joined by an unlikely guest — former NBA player Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
On Feb. 3, Kidd-Gilchrist met with students from the university’s Speech, Language and Pathology program. Kidd-Gilchrist, who played nine years in the NBA after being the second player selected in the 2012 NBA Draft, now serves as a stuttering advocate, working to bring awareness, empowerment and support to those who stutter.
Kidd-Gilchrist is the founder and CEO of Change & Impact, Inc., a non-profit focused on improving access to healthcare and expanding services for people who stutter.
In Johnson City, Kidd-Gilchrist spoke to students about his lived experiences as someone with a stutter, sharing personal stories of going through bullying while at school and even in the NBA.
Change & Impact also partners with agencies to provide free speech therapy services for teens and children who stutter, something Kidd-Gilchrist said was instrumental for him growing up.
In 2024, Kidd-Gilchrist secured bipartisan support for a new state law in Kentucky and Pennsylvania that expanded healthcare coverage for stuttering therapy. He has also helped establish the Bipartisan Unified Voices Caucus on Capitol Hill, which was formed in 2023.
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Why former NBA player Michael Kidd-Gilchrist brought message to Binghamton
Reporting by Riccardo Monico, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin / Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
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