What happens when the thing that makes speaking difficult becomes part of how you find your voice?
Jason Heffler grew up with a stutter, bullying, and the constant calculation of which words might come out cleanly. He shares how those experiences shaped his relationship with language, belonging, and self-expression.
Jason joins Jay to talk about _Tongue Tied_, his children's book about a shy chameleon who camouflages herself because she's afraid her speech will keep her from fitting in. From there, they explore childhood identity, fear of judgment, self-acceptance, music, creativity, implicit bias, and AI.
At 19, Jason discovered electronic music. Years later, performing for 10,000 people, the first drop hit and the crowd erupted. He got on the mic, his stutter dissipated, and he felt himself step into a new version of himself.
*“You can really embrace your voice and your truth exactly how it sounds.” — Jason Heffler*
*What We Explore*
* Speaking while simultaneously navigating a stutter
* Childhood camouflage, bullying, and belonging
* _Tongue Tied_ and building confidence without “fixing” a child's voice
* How DJing gave Jason another language for self-expression
* Art as a place for people who never quite felt accepted
* AI as a creative tool versus a replacement for the artist
*Chapters*
*00:00* — Meet Jason Heffler
*03:10* — When Words Get Stuck
*10:10* — Stop Hiding the Stutter
*14:23* — _Tongue Tied_
*16:32* — Childhood and Camouflage
*21:11* — “I Don't Date Quitters”
*26:34* — The First Drop
*30:11* — Inside the Mind of a Stutterer
*36:31* — Language, AI, and the Inner Voice
*43:20* — When AI Becomes the Artist
*48:00* — Finding a Home in Art
*51:53* — Implicit Bias
*57:37* — A Voice Doesn't Need to Be Fixed
*About Jason Heffler*
Jason Heffler is an author, DJ, and Managing Editor of EDM.com. His children's book _Tongue Tied_ draws from his experience growing up with a stutter and helps young readers build confidence and self-acceptance.
*Jason:* https://rebrand.ly/tonguetied • https://www.instagram.com/fluenceemusic/ • https://www.facebook.com/jason.heffler
*The Tragedy Academy*
Candid conversations exploring the human experience through tragedy and triumph.
Hosted by *Jay Hicks*.
*Be cool. Keep learning.* 🌳
