Sathvega Somasundaram

I attribute my success to resilience, self-reflection, and the support system I had growing up. There were many moments where I felt discouraged because of my speech impediment and the stigma surrounding stuttering, especially in school environments. However, I continued to push through those experiences and learned how to find confidence in myself and my voice. My family played a huge role in helping me feel accepted and supported, and my teachers and speech therapists consistently created spaces where I felt seen, valued, and comfortable. Their encouragement, combined with my determination to advocate for myself and others, gave me the confidence to pursue writing and advocacy work.

The best career advice I’ve received is to continue putting myself out there, share my experiences openly, and trust that even small efforts can create meaningful change. I’ve learned that being honest about my journey and advocating for causes I care about can positively impact others who may be facing similar challenges. Even when something feels small, it can still inspire, encourage, or help someone feel seen and understood.

I would encourage young women to never be afraid to put themselves out there and share their stories, even if it feels uncomfortable at first. Advocacy and representation can create meaningful change, and even small efforts can have a lasting impact on someone else’s life. I believe it is important to step outside of your comfort zone, pursue the causes you care deeply about, and trust that your voice matters. Even if an idea feels small or uncertain in the beginning, it can still create a ripple effect that inspires others and helps normalize important conversations around disability, neurodiversity, and inclusion.

One of the biggest challenges in my field is expanding awareness and representation surrounding speech differences and neurodiversity in children’s literature. Books that feature characters with speech impediments or disabilities are still very limited, and there is a need for greater representation in classrooms and school libraries across the country. As a young author, there are limitations to how many schools and communities I can personally reach, which can make broad impact challenging. At the same time, I see tremendous opportunity because more schools and educators are becoming increasingly open-minded about inclusion and representation. Many schools are actively seeking ways to bridge the gap between general education and special education environments, and there is growing awareness around how important inclusive materials and conversations are for students.

The values that are most important to me are acceptance, resilience, and self-advocacy. I believe it is incredibly important to accept who you are and understand that differences should never be viewed as something shameful. Acceptance has allowed me to grow both personally and professionally and has helped me embrace my own experiences with stuttering. I also value resilience because challenges and setbacks are part of every journey, and learning how to continue moving forward is essential. Self-advocacy is another value that I prioritize because it is important to ensure that your voice is heard, your ideas are valued, and that you continue pursuing your goals with confidence and purpose.