Awareness and Advocacy

One person. One idea. And a ripple effect that keeps growing. This week’s blog post shares about our recent “Seeds of Change gathering”, where we celebrated the work of the inaugural recipients of the Dr. Davetrina Seles Gadson Health Equity Mini-Grants and shared an exciting announcement about this growing, change-making program.

For people with aphasia, voting may take extra time or support.  But having aphasia does not mean losing your right to vote. Communication access is a right.  That includes the opportunity to participate in elections. Whether you vote early, by mail, or on Election Day, knowing your rights and planning ahead can make the process easier.

Medicare is changing how speech-language therapy services are billed and paid for starting January 1, 2027. The NAA is focused on one key question: Will people with aphasia continue to get the therapy that best meets their needs?

The NAA is proud to celebrate Maura English Silverman, our Executive Director, who was awarded the 2026 “Words for Good” Award by Voices of Hope for Aphasia.

Speaking Out is returning on September 25, 2026, and we’d love to see you there! This year, the National Aphasia Association is bringing the aphasia community together to take the conversation from awareness to action. Keep reading to learn more.

For many people, it can be hard to imagine what it would be like to have aphasia. Learn about and try these aphasia simulations – now available in both English and Spanish. Plus: Read this post in English or Spanish!

At Nova Southeastern University, students from several different health care disciplines learned about living with aphasia thanks to NAA Board Members Barbara and Steve Kessler. The story of Barbara’s challenges living with aphasia served as a challenge to student teams to design innovative technological solutions.

The NAA Speech Bubble Tour was a month-long, nationwide adventure designed to bring aphasia awareness to communities across the country during Aphasia Awareness Month. Read the recap, view the photos and videos, and learn how to continue the conversation!

Perhaps the best way to learn about aphasia is hearing from people with aphasia themselves! For Aphasia Awareness Month, we asked people with aphasia to share video examples of how they answer the question “What is aphasia?”

Volunteer NAA Ambassadors and aphasia advocates across the country have been reaching out to local and state legislators to request proclamations recognizing June as National Aphasia Awareness Month. View the Proclamation Viewbook and Gallery.