From a searing and poetic reflection on the lived experience of racism to a personal insight into invisible disability, to a call to action to improve our climate through energy conservation, you have utilized our Speechwriting Competition to raise your voices—dear writers—and advocate for change on issues that matter to you.
Not only have you identified critical and compelling social issues through your speeches, many of you have also offered us—your audience—tangible solutions to enact right away to make the world a better place. Below, read the reflections of two such audience members—Guest Judge for Written Speeches, Sarah Hurwitz, who served as head speechwriter to former President of the United States Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, as well as Guest Judge for Peer Review and Spoken Performance, Michael Franklin, co-founder of the organization Speechwriters of Color.
Happy reading… and listening!
Winner: When the Black Kids Go Missing by Unixis Hedwig (US)
* Check out the recording of Unixis Hedwig delivering their speech here.
From Sarah: As I read “When the Black Kids Go Missing,” I realized I had my hand over my heart, which was pounding. You have elevated speechwriting to the realm of poetry, art, and music which reach us in places beyond where a typical speech can penetrate. The images you conjure are searing—your taunting classmates, your experiences in stores, your gut-punch declaration that “They stretched us out early like roll-ups and told us to grow up.” The layers of meaning beneath so many of the lines— lines like “We’ve ripped them from their roots and stuffed them deep in our pockets”—continue to reveal themselves with each new read. And the allusions to knocking and doors help create a narrative arc that builds to a wrenching peak. I take issue with just one line of this speech: “I know my words are scattered and my thoughts run a mess.” There is nothing scattered or messy about this speech. It is forceful, urgent, and masterfully crafted. You write, “I cannot lend you my eyes so you can see what I can see, but I can give you my words so you can play them on repeat.” This is a rare speech that should be–must be–played on repeat.
Runner Up: The Numeric Condition by NaiadIna (Australia)
* Check out the recording of NaiadIna delivering their speech here.
From Sarah: I’m amazed at the range of emotions you manage to evoke in this powerful speech, from the humor in admitting you were “about to activate stalker-mode” to the devastation of the line that reads, “And, I realise she’s dead.” And with the phrase “stare at his Nike sneakers” you deftly employ the art of the heartbreaking detail—the single gesture that conveys an entire universe of feeling and makes your audience feel like they are right there with you in the moment. This speech is also beautifully structured, grabbing the listener at the beginning with the description of your experience on Twitter, broadening your lens to challenges in your country and our world, drawing a striking contrast between our tepid response to statistics and our grief when tragedy strikes close to home, and then pivoting to solutions. Finally, you beautifully capture your own voice in this speech. It’s easy to slip into overly formal language that sounds stilted when spoken, or language so generic that just about anyone could be delivering it. But this speech feels finely tailored which makes its urgent message all the more impactful.
Best Delivery of a Speech: Can You See M.E. Now? by TigerCat (UK)
* Check out the recording of TigerCat delivering their speech here.
From Michael: When I evaluate the delivery of a speech, I often evaluate the tone and rhetoric rather than the technical speaking ability or formatting an individual has when giving a speech. Most importantly, I believe that a strongly delivered speech should have a call to action that encourages its audience to take the knowledge delivered to make a difference for the better. The speech delivered by TigerCatentitled, “Can You See M.E. Now?,” is a powerfully delivered speech that informs and pulls in its audience with a compelling story that articulates the quiet struggle faced by millions of people worldwide. A powerful part of the speech came when TigerCat noted that disability accommodations had been disregarded for decades yet suddenly came to fruition once a global pandemic hit. The tone was frank, powerful, and somber. The language was sharp, true, and thorough. TigerCat not only informed me through this speech, but produced a speech that resonated strongly with me. TigerCat’s speech will serve as a reminder that part of being an intersectional advocate involves truly being inclusive of all people—and amplifying the voices of our siblings facing illnesses that should never be invisible when we’re advocating for a better, more inclusive world.
Best Peer Review: Review of “The Tesla Effect” by ScarlettLucian (Canada)
From Michael: When editing a peer’s work, it is incredibly important that your review provides feedback on two key areas of the piece. First you must address whether the writing resonated with you or had the impact on you that the author intended to have. Second you must assess if stylistically, the writing you are reviewing makes sense and is technically sound. These are two concepts that are important due to their interconnected nature—if something is written in an effective style, it’s more likely to resonate with the reader! This was a really tough decision, but I ended up selecting ScarlettLucian’s review of “The Tesla Effect” as it addressed both these key elements. I was particularly enthused by ScarlettLucian’s incorporation of fact-checking to provide feedback and remarks on how the work resonated with them as a reader.
Highly Commended
Dear Justice by Gryffin (US) (check out the audio recording here).
I hate school by ~wildflower~ (Australia)
The Forgotten Minority by Erin Brogan (US).
Look Around You by I like to write (US) (check out the audio recording here).
How Old Are We, Really? by sherry171 (Canada) (check out the audio recording here).
