Wayne Brady, Mariska Hargitay & Peter Hermann and More to be Honored at SAY Gala

SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young will host its 21st Annual Benefit Gala, live and in person, on Monday, May 22, 2023. The evening will begin at 6:00 PM at The Edison Ballroom in New York City (240 West 47th Street). It will feature a performance starring the evening's host Kelli O'Hara, and Brandon Victor Dixon, as well as the young people of SAY, along with dinner and a live auction. This year's honorees will include award-winning entertainer Wayne Brady, journalist & author John Hendrickson, as well as Mariska Hargitay & Peter Hermann who will be inducted into the SAY: HALL OF FAME, and the Fabric & Craft Store Chain JOANN will be awarded the BUDD MAYER ADVOCACY AWARD.

Recent recipients of honors from the organization include BBDO, Thomas Kail, Joe Moglia, Kelli O'Hara, Jay Badame & Linda D'Alessandro, Marcia & Bill Withers, and George Springer.

The Gala performance, written & directed by SAY's Founder, Taro Alexander, co-written and with Musical Direction by Everett Bradley, will feature Kelli O'Hara, Brandon Victor Dixon, and the young people of SAY in an inspiring, original piece. SAY's Executive Director Noah Cornman shared, "We are so excited to bring the SAY Gala to The Edison Ballroom, and to be able to celebrate our incredible Honorees this year alongside the inspiring kids of SAY! The evening will be a beautiful, star-studded celebration of the powerful voices of young people who stutter."

SAY's 21st Annual Benefit Gala will honor:

Budd Mayer Advocacy Award recipient JOANN Fabric and Craft Stores

Founded in 1943 as a single retail store, today, JOANN is the nation's leading fabric and craft specialty retailer. Their retail stores and website feature a variety of competitively priced merchandise used in sewing, crafting, and home decorating projects, including fabric, notions, crafts, frames, paper crafting supplies, artificial floral, finished seasonal, and home decor items. JOANN operates approximately 850 stores in 49 states. JOANN has partnered with SAY over the past couple of years, advocating for the stuttering community and providing donated supplies and services for our programs, helping kids who stutter bring their creative visions to bold, beautiful life!

Wayne Brady

(SAY: Hero Award) Multiple Emmy Award-winning and Grammy Award-nominated Wayne Brady has made his mark on stage and screen as an actor, producer, singer, dancer, songwriter, and television personality. A true multi-hyphenate, Brady's career path and personal life journey have helped him see the world in a unique way. His aspirations have always gone beyond solely starring in various entertainment projects, and under his Makin' It Up Productions banner, he's set out to create new content across different platforms that showcase innovation and inclusivity in a fun and powerful ways.

Mariska Hargitay & Peter Hermann

(SAY: Hall of Fame Inductees) Mariska Hargitay is an award-winning actress, director, producer, and philanthropist. She has played the role of Captain Olivia Benson on NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" since 1999, which earned her an Emmy and Golden Globe award. In 2004, she founded The Joyful Heart Foundation, which is devoted to domestic violence and child abuse survivors. Mariska's husband, Peter Hermann, is an actor, producer, and writer who recently starred as Charles Brooks in "Younger." Mariska & Peter have been long-time champions of SAY and the young people we serve, advocating for and supporting the community in all ways, always.

JOHN HENDRICKSON

(SAY: Hero Award) John is a staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of Life on Delay: Making Peace With a Stutter, a reported memoir that grew out of his Atlantic feature "What Joe Biden Can't Bring Himself to Say," which was read by more than 2 million people and named one of the best stories of 2019 by Longform. John has spoken about stuttering, politics, and journalism on CNN, MSNBC, NPR, PBS, and at colleges and universities across the country. Before joining The Atlantic, he wrote and edited for Rolling Stone, Esquire, and The Denver Post.

Proceeds from the 21st Annual Benefit Gala will help SAY provide vital programming for kids and teens who stutter, including Camp SAY, Camp SAY Across the USA, Speech Therapy, Confident Voices, and Washington DC-based, SAY: DC. SAY Vice President Travis Robertson said "The funds raised by our Annual Gala help keep SAY's programming available to every child who stutters, regardless of financial constraints. That is SAY's essential and important legacy, and the need is compelling."

SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young

is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides support, advocacy, and life-changing experiences for young people who stutter, ages 3-25. For over 20 years, SAY has offered comprehensive and innovative programs that address the physical, social, and emotional impacts of stuttering. Through summer camp, regional day camps, speech therapy, and creative arts programming, SAY builds a community of acceptance, friendship, and encouragement where young people who stutter can develop the confidence and communication skills they need to thrive. To date, no child has ever been turned away due to a family's inability to pay.

To learn more about SAY's 21st Annual Benefit Gala and to purchase tickets, tables, and sponsorship packages, visit www.say.org/gala2023 or contact Noah Cornman at 646.403.3514 or Noah@SAY.org.