Empowering
Voices Through Spelling and Typing

Building Community, Friendship, and Advocacy for Non-Speaking Individuals

  • Winterhaven Walk

    What a special evening of connection and community. We shared laughter and warmth during our White Elephant sock and blanket exchange, then headed to Winterhaven to enjoy the holiday lights together. Nights like this remind us how meaningful it is to gather and celebrate alongside our Tucson Spellers families, spellers, and supporters.

  • Silently Loud Concert

    Tucson Spellers had the joy of attending an inspiring event hosted by Teva Community at the University of Arizona Poetry Center, where Brian Laidlaw performed a stunning set of songs composed by nonspeaking autistic lyricists in collaboration with Unrestricted Interest. These pieces highlighted the depth, humor, creativity, and brilliance of spellers who communicate through letterboards and keyboards, celebrating the many ways nonspeaking minds create, express, and connect—including works written by Arizona spellers during Teva Community retreats in Prescott. 💛

  • Halloween party and trivia night

    The Tucson Spellers Halloween Party — Trivia Night Edition — was an enormous success. From a no-hands donut-eating contest to intense rounds of tic-tac-toe and Connect Four, and an amazing multi-round trivia game with prizes, the evening was packed with excitement, laughter, and unforgettable moments. We shared food, conversation, and meaningful connections, coming together to celebrate friendship, inclusion, and the joy of simply being together.

  • Poetry in the pines

    🌲✨ Poetry in the Pines ✨🌲 What an amazing event - hearing everyone’s beautiful, thoughtful, and creative poetry shared among the pines and fresh mountain air was truly incredible. The inclusive environment made this comfortable for all levels of spellers and writers. We then got to enjoy a hike around Rose Canyon Lake together, solidifying our sense of community with one another 💙

  • Abstract Art Event

    ✨ What an incredible journey! ✨ Our Abstract Art Experience with the amazing Matthew Palmo and Indicator Art left us in awe of the creativity and beauty that poured out of this series. Matthew guided each artist to discover and express their unique vision, and we are so grateful to the professional artists who joined our final critique—their thoughtful insights and encouragement made our spellers and artists feel truly seen and celebrated. A huge thank you as well to the Autism Society of Southern Arizona for opening their welcoming space to us, making this event possible. And to our spellers and artists: you created masterpieces that reflect some of the most beautiful minds—we could not be more proud! 🎨

We are excited to officially share that Tucson Spellers will be publishing a poetry anthology. We are planning for a May release, including a celebratory reading and book launch at Las Milpitas. We are currently finalizing the exact event date in May.
This anthology will be a professionally printed collection showcasing the creative voices of our spellers. It is fully led, organized, and funded by Tucson Spellers, ensuring that all participating spellers are supported throughout the process.
What This Project Will Include:
- 2–3 poems or creative pieces from each participating speller
- Writing created at any time — past or present
- Submissions are not limited to poetry; creative writing of all kinds is welcome
- Visual art and drawings are also welcome. If spellers would like to contribute artwork, pieces may be placed throughout the anthology or included in a dedicated art section. We will coordinate best file formats and specifications to ensure high-quality print reproduction.
- Support for spellers who would like help selecting or refining pieces

This project builds on the powerful spirit of the nonspeakers’ poetry reading at Las Milpitas last spring and represents a continued commitment to visibility, belonging, and creative expression for our spellers.
Thank you for being part of a community that makes projects like this possible. We are so proud of the writers and artists we get to support and cannot wait to share this work with the wider Tucson community.
Submissions are due by March 20 and should be sent to Submit@tucsonspellers.org.

Tucson spellers

Poetry anthology

a little about us…

Tucson Spellers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to empowering non-speaking individuals by supporting their communication needs, creating social and educational opportunities, and providing funding for training, events, and essential resources.

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Speller Voices

Discover powerful stories, insights, and experiences directly from nonspeaking spellers. Our blog is a platform where spellers of all modalities can share their journeys, challenges, and triumphs in their OWN words.

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