Nick May in “Being Heard”

In honor of Jewish Disability Awareness Month, join us for “Nick May: Being Heard” on Thursday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m.

Nick May is a singer/songwriter, educator, song leader and inclusion activist. Growing up in New Orleans and being the son of two accomplished musicians, he was raised with a variety of musical influences from contemporary Jewish and folk to funk and hip hop. Being a person who stutters (PWS), Nick latched on to music as a way to fluently express himself from a young age. As an enthusiastic member of the Jewish summer camp and day school communities, Nick furthered his formal education at Louisiana State University where he earned a Bachelor’s of Interdisciplinary Studies with concentrations in Jewish Studies, Religious Studies, and Sociology.

In summer 2018, Nick did something he had never done before: addressed a room of people he didn’t know well, sharing his intimate story of growing up as a PWS… and how his communities effectively supported him. This experience inspired him to create Being Heard.

Being Heard is a program that combines storytelling, singing and chevruta (group discussion) to show the power of being inclusive, not only towards others but to ourselves. Since then, Nick has brought Being Heard to camps, congregations, and youth groups across North America.