This Month’s Spotlight of the Month Honors Faisal “Fez” Ahmed!
Faisal (Fez) was born and raised in the little city of Fort Smith, Arkansas. Tired of rural life and not knowing his roots, Fez moved to Karachi, Pakistan for 9th grade and completed high school there. Moving was a challenge because now he had deal with stuttering in a new foreign language. Missing America, he returned to complete his Bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering at the University of Michigan. For the last two years, he has been working in Dallas for American Airlines, which has allowed him to pursue his love of traveling while ensuring his Instagram is ‘Lit’. When not working, he can be found on the basketball court hitting threes or curled up next to his annoying cat, Afoof, watching Seinfeld reruns. His New Year’s resolution: He will stop telling people he wants to go sky diving and will actually go sky diving.
Growing up a covert stutter at a young age, Faisal realized that the only way to overcome his fears was to face them head on. He pursued debating and Model UN during high school, and Toastmasters later in college. Nowadays you can find him in the boardroom presenting revenue strategies to the boss like a boss.
Although confident in the class or office, he has always been more reserved in social situations, but coming to NSA meetings and getting in contact with other NSA members has opened his eyes to the fact that introversion/extroversion is not dictated by one’s fluency. It is interesting to him to see that sometimes those with the most overt stutterers are also the most social and talkative! Fez has also learned that in order to have a good conversation one shouldn’t focus so much on speaking but rather more on listening. Hearing the different types of stutters and different perspectives on stuttering at the chapter meetings has helped him improved his self-acceptance. He hopes in this new year he can help others feel the same!
Next time you see Fez ask him when is he going skydiving!
#GetToKnowUs#WeStutter#DallasNSASpotlight
Faisal “Fez” Ahmed!
Faisal (Fez) was born and raised in the little city of Fort Smith, Arkansas. Tired of rural life and not knowing his roots, Fez moved to Karachi, Pakistan for 9th grade and completed high school there. Moving was a challenge because now he had deal with stuttering in a new foreign language. Missing America, he returned to complete his Bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering at the University of Michigan. For the last two years, he has been working in Dallas for American Airlines, which has allowed him to pursue his love of traveling while ensuring his Instagram is ‘Lit’. When not working, he can be found on the basketball court hitting threes or curled up next to his annoying cat, Afoof, watching Seinfeld reruns. His New Year’s resolution: He will stop telling people he wants to go sky diving and will actually go sky diving.
Growing up a covert stutter at a young age, Faisal realized that the only way to overcome his fears was to face them head on. He pursued debating and Model UN during high school, and Toastmasters later in college. Nowadays you can find him in the boardroom presenting revenue strategies to the boss like a boss.
Although confident in the class or office, he has always been more reserved in social situations, but coming to NSA meetings and getting in contact with other NSA members has opened his eyes to the fact that introversion/extroversion is not dictated by one’s fluency. It is interesting to him to see that sometimes those with the most overt stutterers are also the most social and talkative! Fez has also learned that in order to have a good conversation one shouldn’t focus so much on speaking but rather more on listening. Hearing the different types of stutters and different perspectives on stuttering at the chapter meetings has helped him improved his self-acceptance. He hopes in this new year he can help others feel the same!
Next time you see Fez ask him when is he going skydiving!
#GetToKnowUs#WeStutter#DallasNSASpotlight