Jakob is a name I have said countless times over the past 17 years. While most people have no problem with saying their names, my stutter makes it nearly impossible to fluently introduce myself. For the majority of my life, I have done my best to avoid stuttering and, more importantly, avoid talking about it. But as I grow into myself and as I see my peers do the same, I have gained comfort with talking about my impediment and spreading awareness. Because photography has played such a large role in me expressing myself when words fail, I wanted to bring light to my struggle in a medium that is incredibly meaningful to me. This personal passion resulted in my project titled “J-Jakob.” In the project, I explore every aspect of stuttering that I deal with every single day. While some of the photos tackle more well-known struggles, such as the physical struggle to say words, I wanted to make it a point to emphasize the unsung battles that my body and mind go through every time I decide to open my mouth. My project not only addresses the physical and auditory restrictions that I experience while talking but also the mental side, which is often more detrimental. On a larger scale, I hope that “J-Jakob” can bring awareness to the struggles that people with speech impediments go through and that the battle is more than having to sound like a broken record. In this project, I also look to inspire others who deal with their own personal turmoils to accept themselves for who they truly are.