Welcome to Real Voices of Philadelphia

To unlock voices, to foster friendships, and to promote lives of purpose for non speaking, minimally speaking, and/or unreliably speaking teens and adults. 

Real Voices of Philadelphia is a nonprofit learning group offering education and social connection for non-speakers. Young adults who type and spell to communicate gather to practice supported communication in an educational setting that offers lots of opportunities for cross talk. Real Voices believes that dis-regulated movements (such as spinning, grabbing, flapping, lack of eye contact or facial expression, and inability to generate meaningful speech) do not in any way indicate a lack of mental acuity. We presume competence - that is, we assume that under any behaviors is a perfectly intelligent being.

Real Voices began as a dream that Owen Simons and his parents Wystan and Edward had, for a place that would be an academic and social bridge to the rest of the world. Owen was presumed intellectually disabled until May of 2018, when his voice was freed.