04/10/2026
Today is an exciting day at the Blank Center as Enjoli Monique Richardson has successfully defended her dissertation, “Stuttering at the Intersections: Mapping Ableist Microaggressions of Adults who Stutter.”
Under the mentorship of Dr. Courtney T. Byrd, Enjoli’s dissertation examines how ableist microaggressions shape the psychological well-being of adults who stutter at the intersections of race and gender. Notably, her study included the largest sample of Black individuals who stutter to date for research of this kind, with 145 Black adults represented within a total sample of 246 participants, marking a historic overrepresentation of a group that has been traditionally underrepresented in stuttering research.
Using a mixed-methods approach, this work centers the lived experiences of marginalized communities and advances understanding of how communication, identity, and disability intersect within broader systems of bias. This research not only advances understanding of stuttering and lived experience, but also provides more evidence to support culturally responsive care.
Congratulations, Dr. Richardson, on this remarkable achievement and groundbreaking work! Your dedication, brilliance, and commitment to uplifting underrepresented voices in research and practice is truly inspiring. We will be cheering you on for years to come as you continue to ensure that what starts here changes the world.
