Let 'Em Speak

David Henderson https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-henderson-89049124 a presentation skills expert at Spoken with Authority and Let 'Em Speak Podcast collaborator, has more than two decades of experience in high-profile communication-based roles, including 20 years as a trial attorney during which he tried over 70 jury cases to a verdict. Previously, he served as an associate at Vinson & Elkins, LLP, and as a prosecutor in the Special Crimes Division of the Bexar County's District Attorney's office. Currently, he serves as a civil rights attorney at Ellwanger Law PLLC, and a workshop facilitator and coach at Spoken with Authority. David joined Toastmasters International in 2007, and in 2010 he was named World Champion of Public Speaking in a competition of more than 30,000 elite speakers from 113 countries. He has been featured on CNN and MSNBC providing legal analyses of high-profile cases involving police shootings. David holds a B.A. from the University of Texas, and a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law.     By listening to this conversation with David, you'll learn about:   - The importance of representation in the media - The practical details of landing and giving media interviews - Staying true to your beliefs - Using the Sandwich Structure Method for interview preparation - Sharing your expertise - Getting honest feedback from a trusted friend Twitter: @OakCliffLawyer More on the “Sandwich Structure:”  https://spokenwithauthority.com/sandwich-presentation-structure-method/  

Dr. Lisa M. Corrigan is a Professor of Communication and Director of the Gender Studies Program at the University of Arkansas. She has written two books, Prison Power: How Prison Influenced the Movement for Black Liberation (University Press of Mississippi, 2016) and Black Feelings: Race and Affect in the Long Sixties (University Press of Mississippi, 2020). Her third book is an edited collection titled: #MeToo: A Rhetorical Zeitgeist and it will be out in July 2021 published by Routledge. Lisa also co-hosts a popular podcast with Laura Weiderhaft called Lean Back: Critical Feminist Conversations https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lean-back-critical-feminist-conversations/id1084242264 By listening to this conversation with Lisa, you'll learn about:   -           Antiblack public policy -           The fantasy of civility -           Communication about power and freedom -           Collective struggle, navigating conflict, and shared power -           Whiteness of the American public speech tradition and how to increase inclusion -           Risk and the roots of speech anxiety -           Persuasion and flexing capital -           Black social protest and violence -           Listening, empathy, and cultural competency as tools of inclusion

LeRon L. Barton https://www.linkedin.com/in/leron-barton-cwna-2b700b1/ is a writer from Kansas City, Missouri currently living in San Francisco, California. A graduate of Paseo Academy of Fine Arts, LeRon is the author of two books, Straight Dope: A 360 degree look into American Drug Culture and All We Really Need Is Love: Stories of Dating, Relationships, Heartbreak, and Marriage. In addition to his books, LeRon is an essayist whose topics cover racism, mass incarceration, politics, gender, and dating. These works have appeared in Black Enterprise, Salon, Harvard Business Review, The Good Men Project, Your Tango, Media Diversity, Raconteur, Elephant Journal, East Bay Times, and MoAD. LeRon is an international speaker (http://leronbarton.com) who has given three TEDx speeches and has appeared at Al Jazeera, the University of San Francisco, Navis, Speakers Who Dare, Nas Dubai, Glide Memorial Church, The City of Cupertino, Los Altos Chamber of Commerce, Square, and Defy Ventures. In his spare time, LeRon enjoys mentoring African-American youth, teaching Creative Writing at the San Francisco County Jail, and backpacking around the world. By listening to this conversation with LeRon, you'll learn about:   - Speaking with a stutter – it's not the entirety of who you are - Supporting and including speakers who have a stutter - Ableism and destigmatizing stuttering - Setting expectations - Sharing stories over data - Preparing for public speaking success and falling into the next move - The power of representation - Having fun as a public speaker LeRon's TEDx Talks: https://www.ted.com/talks/leron_barton_how_i_overcame_my_fear_of_stuttering https://www.ted.com/talks/leron_l_barton_the_power_of_sharing_your_story https://www.ted.com/talks/leron_l_barton_the_vital_importance_of_documenting_the_moment  

Beth Ridley (https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-ridley-a92b8b5/) believes a positive, connected and committed organizational culture is critical to business success. That's why she combined her 25 years of corporate leadership and management consulting experience with her expertise in diversity and inclusion and positive psychology to launch, The Brimful Life (https://www.thebrimfullife.com/dei/), a coaching and consulting firm that works with executives to strengthen their leadership skills and transform their leadership teams and organizational cultures to better support their vision and strategic goals. In addition, Beth's podcast series, keynote presentations and workshops inspire and equip leaders to put people and culture first. Beth has lived and worked in London, Tokyo, Johannesburg, Bangkok, Boston and New York City. She has a BA in English Literature from the University of Virginia, a MA in International Relations from Tufts University and an MBA from Columbia University. By listening to this conversation with Beth, you'll learn about:   - Post-apartheid South Africa and the Truth and Reconciliation Project - Dress codes and dressing for your day - Workplaces as a site for diversity - Approaching communication with curiosity and compassion

When not trying new vegan recipes, Chelsea Grey (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cagrey/) is riding her Peloton or tracking her packages. At the time of recording, she was a senior congressional staffer in the House of Representatives, but has now transitioned back to Atlanta with the hopes of continuing her political career. For the last five years, she was covering policy on education, transportation, women and LGBTQ+ issues, foreign affairs, and much more. New York-born, Georgia-raised. By listening to this conversation with Chelsea, you'll learn about:   - Being more than your resume - Establishing community - Making an impression in interviews - The problem with unpaid internships - Barriers to opportunity in government - The importance of equitable promotions and pay - Recognizing the unique experiences of underrepresented people in government - Representation on the Hill: getting better, still not great Twitter:  @chelsgrey

Cameron Stout www.linkedin.com/in/cameronstoutatstoutheart an attorney, gives mental wellness, self-care, and ethics presentations and mentoring services to professionals, lawyers, and to students around the country. Cam's presentations are based in part on his own journey through, and resilient recovery from, a major depressive episode in 2013, and his nine years of sobriety. Cam's mental wellness work is supported by Stout Heart, Inc., a non-profit 501c3 corporation www.stoutheart.org He also writes a blog about wellness and self-care: www.lightatseaatstoutheart.org By listening to this conversation with Cam, you'll learn about:   - “What Mental health needs is more sunlight, more candor, and more unashamed conversation.” - Glen Close - Having a SEAL (Support, Energy, Accountability, and Love) Team - Avoiding isolation and seeking help for mental health, including from HR at work - The words we use to talk about mental health and suicide - Approaches to self care Twitter: @cameronstout14

Anna-Lesa Calvert (https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-lesa-calvert/) is the Manager of Professional Development and Diversity at Hodgson Russ LLP. At Hodgson Russ she develops training, organizational effectiveness programs, while creating programs and processes that support a diverse and inclusive work place. Prior to her work at Hodgson Russ, she ran a non-profit focus on ensuring that underserved youth in her community had access to sport and its benefits. By listening to this conversation with Anna-Lesa, you'll learn about:   - Being a diversity officer at a law firm - Increasing diversity in law firms through pipeline, community, and internal education - Making correct name pronunciation less awkward - Cultural humility versus competence - Diversifying the beautiful game Twitter: @alsoccerpal Article mentioned in the interview: https://fivehabitsandmore.law.yale.edu

Reverend Peter Johnson is a prominent civil rights leader and one of the last living links to MLK. In 1963, Johnson began working for the Congress of Racial Equality as a student and participated in civil rights protests across the South, including campaigns in Birmingham, Selma, and the March on Washington. Johnson went on to work for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in Atlanta, alongside icons including Andrew Young, Bernard Lafayette, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1969, Johnson moved to Dallas, TX, on a temporary assignment for the SCLC, but chose to stay and work with the city’s low-income residents. Johnson remains an active champion for human rights as he continues to promote civil rights law, youth empowerment, and a more just community.

Mamta Accapadi is the Vice Provost for University Life at University of Pennsylvania and a national leader in university student affairs, whose career has been devoted to the goals of inclusion, community, and social justice. She has been a particular advocate for first-generation students, low-income students, and children of immigrants, reflecting her own background as a child of immigrants who went on to earn three degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. Mamta previously served as vice president for student affairs at Rollins College from 2013-2020, following four years as dean of student life at Oregon State University. Her earlier experience at UT-Austin included serving as university ombudsman, diversity education coordinator, advisor to Greek life and education, coordinator of the International Teaching Assistant Program, and assistant director of the Multicultural Information Center. She earned a PhD and MEd in higher education administration and a BA in microbiology from UT-Austin.   By listening to this conversation with Mamta, you’ll learn about: - The Vanilla Ice approach to solving problems - Brownness and how it impacts identity - Prioritizing relationships over being right - Overcoming the fear of public speaking - Moving beyond labels when identifying individuals - Balancing cultural accountability with forgiveness.

Soroya Julian McFarlane, Ph.D. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/soroya-julian-mcfarlane-ph-d-0520b955 University of Miami, 2019) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Georgia. Her research focuses on designing and evaluating communication interventions that address health disparities at the community level. Dr. McFarlane’s research agenda is driven by understanding how culture influences health, and how communication interventions that translate science for diverse populations might be effective in reducing health disparities. Her recent research has been on women’s sexual and reproductive health in Jamaica, with the aim of (1) expanding theoretical understanding of culturally-targeted messaging and interventions, and  (2) understanding the impact of media, innovation and participatory approaches. She also collaborates with US-based researchers on clinical trial communication, with a focus on vulnerable and minority populations. By listening to this conversation with Soroya, you’ll learn about: -Jamaica! -community based interventions to health problems -how communication impacts maternal health -the role of researchers -navigating smart, navigating informed in graduate school -occupying space, making space as a person of color

Cindy Irving (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindyirving) is an expert in deferred compensation and retirement planning at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). She is a Certified Financial Planner who graduated from The Wharton School. By listening to this conversation with Cindy, you’ll learn about: -        What Parkinson’s disease is and the wide range of symptoms associated with it -        How Parkinson’s disease can impact public speakers -        What leaders and event organizers can do to reduce physical and vocal fatigue of speakers who have Parkinson’s disease, such as seating / physical support, shorter speaking times, and lavalier microphones / amplification -        Michael J. Fox and contributions of people with Parkinson’s disease

University of Chicago Graduate Recruitment Initiative Team (GRIT) began as a grassroots student organization and has grown to encompass 18 graduate programs in the Biological Sciences Division (BSD), Physical Sciences Division (PSD), and Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) at the University of Chicago with over 50 members and a dedicated faculty counterpart in the form of the Diversity Council. GRIT is committed to enhancing diversity, inclusion, and equity across the BSD and PSD graduate programs. GRIT focuses on three central components: recruitment, retention, and sustainability in order to increase the recruitment and retention of students from marginalized backgrounds. Recruitment is organized by clusters/departments for programs within the BSD, PSD, and PME while retention is organized by four teams devoted towards specific groups. Bjørn spoke with the Recruitment Co-directors, Ross Mansouri-Rad and Meg Panetta, and the Retention Co-directors, Jimmy Elias and Jessy Morgan. By listening to this conversation with GRIT, you’ll learn about: -recruitment and retention within the biological and physical sciences -balancing justice and equity in the sciences -the importance of structuring and maintaining a student-run organization -ways faculty and graduate students can work together -building connections across identities and interests while also. . . -respecting unique experiences of different identities

Kristin Niemi Gillig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kngillig/) is a Human Resources leader with a passion for neurodiversity. She brings a well-rounded perspective to business, with more than 20 years of experience working in technology and digital marketing agencies. Kristin became a subject matter expert in neurodiversity while cultivating people and HR processes at a growing digital consulting firm, and raising two children who think differently. She is now focused on advancing neurodiversity in the workplace, and how organizations can hire, include, and leverage the power of different types of thinkers to become stronger companies. By listening to this conversation with Kristin, you’ll learn about:   - What neurodiversity is and how to make the workplace and hiring more inclusive - Famous speaker leaders on the autism spectrum: Greta Thunberg, Dr. Temple Grandin, and Yuh-Line Niou - Strengths including authenticity, honesty, directness, depth of knowledge, and innovation - Challenges of presenting for people on the autism spectrum, such as making eye contact and smiling; engaging in distracting movements; staying within time limits; and, reading the audience, as well as strategies that can help

Kris with a K” Henry (they/them/theirs) is a Jamaican nonbinary individual currently based out of Georgia. A UGA alum and self-proclaimed creative conjurer, Kris creates art in many forms, spiritual tools, spiritual services, and classes/workshops centering their works as a spiritual safe space for black queer and trans folx. They seek to create authentically empowering, ancestrally connected healing experiences that bring a sense of agency and sovereignty back to the historically marginalized. Kris is currently involved in a Reparations effort called Healing for the Healers, a fundraising campaign to provide 6 month stipends to a collective of 9 Black healers who do needed pro bono healing work in the Black community. To contribute or spread the word about this effort, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/healing-the-healers Kris’ first published project is a collection of poetry titled “Love LETTERS”, and their second project, Warri(O)racle, is an online chapbook. You can find their projects at www.thespiritualabolitionist.com/shop and follow them on Instagram @kriswithakcreates to see what they’re up to next. By listening to this conversation with Kris, you’ll learn about: - Communication within and about government contracting - Structural racism and how information is shared to the public - The ills of performative allyship - The trauma of misgendering - Intellectual queerness vs. queerness in the streets - Why we should say “thank you” instead of “sorry”

Mark Brown (www.markbrownspeaks.com) won Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking in 1995, defeating more than 20,000 contestants from 14 countries. Since then, he has delivered over 3,500 presentations to over 1.7 million people, on 5 continents. He is also a National Speakers Association Certified Speaking Professional. Mark has been featured in the New York Times, Men’s Health, on CNN Headline News, and even had his own PBS Special, ‘Words Count – with Mark Brown,’ which was nominated for an Emmy Award. He is the co-author of the book The Speaker’s Edge, and co-host of the weekly Unforgettable Presentations Podcast. Originally from Kingston, Jamaica, Mark Brown immigrated to the United States at the age of 18 with only $40 in his pocket and a dream for a better life. He now lives in Lizella, GA, USA, with Andrea, his wife of more than 35 years. By listening to this conversation with Mark, you’ll learn about: - Speaking with composure without losing your individual identity - The diversity among winners of the Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking - Using your accent as an asset - Speaking truth with dignity - Having a positive impact on the world through communication - Being aware of discrimination in communication without becoming bitter

Annie McKay (www.linkedin.com/in/annie-mckay-ks), previously the president and CEO of Kansas Action for Children, now serves in an independent supporting role to organizations and networks seeking to center equity and inclusion in their internal operations as they pursue strengthening their commitments to racial justice. Before stepping down as KAC’s leader to pursue their purpose and passion for anti-racism, Annie was the executive director of the Kansas Center for Economic Growth and a former Rockwood Leadership Fellow, Sunflower Foundation Advocacy Fellow, University of Kansas Women of Distinction honoree, and KHSA Kansas Children’s Champion. By listening to this conversation with Annie, you’ll learn about: - What gender queer and gender non-binary means - The importance of correct pronoun use - Who should carry the burden and do the labor of explaining pronouns - Virtue signaling and operationalizing values - Anti-black racism and colonialism as the root of injustice and liberation for all marginalized people - Spoiler alert: Virtual trust falls are a really bad idea Twitter: @amckayks

Josephine Thinwa is a physician scientist at UT Southwestern in Dallas in the field of infectious diseases. She completed her MD/PhD degree in 2015 at UT Health San Antonio and joined UT Southwestern for Internal Medicine residency and Infectious Diseases fellowship as part of the Physician Scientist Training Program. She completed her residency and then Infectious Diseases fellowship in July 2019. During her infectious disease training, she became very interested in treating HIV/AIDS patients who are prone to severe viral brain infections. To this end, she is studying in the lab how our bodies fight viruses that infect the brain, hoping to develop new treatments. She has several publications in both clinical and scientific journals and has presented her research at numerous regional and national meetings where she received recognition for best poster awards. In 2018, she was featured on the main webpage of the Infectious Disease Society of America website as a member spotlight for her accomplishments thus far. Her goal is to have her own lab within the next few years and continue doing research that impacts patients while maintaining her clinical practice. By listening to this conversation with Josephine, you’ll learn about: - Being a black woman and a “double doctor” - Women and surnames - Redirecting presentations from hostile audience members - Addressing insecurities when communicating

Christina McLean is a Presentation Skills Coach with Spoken with Authority and a marketing communication professional. For nearly two decades, Christina has provided communications and marketing expertise to clients around the world across the public, private and non-profit sectors. She has also worked closely with leading enterprises such as Capital One, Microsoft, Target, FedEx and many others to design and spearhead high-yield regional and national philanthropy and corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaigns. Christina holds a B.B.A. in International Business from George Washington University and is a 10-year member of the American Marketing Association. By listening to this conversation with Christina, you’ll learn about: - Cultural differences in communication practices - Communication and leadership - The bigger meaning of a “personal brand”

For more than 20 years, Dr. Jean Miller has served as a full-time faculty member at The George Washington University, where she teaches courses in public speaking, leadership, intercultural communication, and rhetorical theory and criticism. In addition to presentation skills coaching and workshop facilitation for Spoken with Authority, she has also spent over 25 years as a presentation skills instructor for the Capital Speakers Class, a private public speaking course for women, and as consultant to the Capital Speakers Club of Washington, D.C. Inc., a nonprofit organization that promotes understanding through effective communication. Jean has a doctorate and master’s degree in communication from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a bachelor’s degree in speech communication from Towson University. By listening to this conversation with Jean, you’ll learn about: - How trends of women in public speaking have changed in the last 30 years - How to be non-threatening from a position of strength - The role of smiling in likability and credibility - Women being ideally situated to teach, coach, advocate, and empower

Shunta Jordan is the Head Debate Coach and an Academic Professional at the University of Georgia. By listening to this conversation with Shunta, you’ll learn about: - Teaching debate in urban K-12 schools - Diversifying who participates in debate - The Urban Debate League, and specifically Atlanta’s - The democratizing role of debate - Being intentional in creating change

Dr. David Wachira is a public finance and governance specialist as well as the Youth-to-Youth (Y2Y) Co-Secretary at the World Bank Group. Previously, he taught public policy in the political science department at Southern Methodist University (SMU); and also served as a teaching fellow in public finance, bureaucracy and public administration at the University of North Texas and as an assistant professor of history and economics at Wiley College. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, a master’s degree in History from Tarleton State University and a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Management, with an emphasis in Public Finance and Public Management from the University of North Texas. By listening to this conversation with David, you’ll learn about: - The significance of names in Kenya and the U.S. - Why he dresses formally - The added cost of being black - Forced assimilation - The Queen’s English and accents

Michele Morrissey has over two decades of experience as an educational and corporate speech-language pathologist, and has collaborated with educators, executives, physicians, and industry leaders to develop their own communication styles and voices infused with intentionality and influence. She has served as a presentation skills coach for Spoken with Authority since 2018. Michele earned a master’s degree in speech language pathology from the University of Pittsburgh, and a bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders from Hampton University. She is also a P-ESL certified accent modification trainer, and holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. By listening to this conversation with Michele, you’ll learn about: - Code switching and code meshing - Leading with competence - Cultural difference in storytelling - How gender, generation, and race intersect to impact communication - Privilege and public speaking

Lisa Richard is a communication skills coach with Spoken with Authority and English as a second language teacher. By listening to this conversation with Lisa, you’ll learn about: - Coaching from a love of language - English as a second language training in other countries - The problematic concept of “accent modification.”

Dr. Brian Williams led the trauma team that treated police officers ambushed by a sniper on July 7, 2016 - the largest loss of life for US law enforcement since 9/11. At a press conference days later, his heartfelt comments about the tragedy touched thousands, and Huffington Post named it one of the most memorable television moments of 2016. Dr. Williams now serves an Associate Professor of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at the University of Chicago. In addition to his role as an academic surgeon, he is a keynote speaker, a guest opinion writer featured in the Chicago Tribune and Dallas Morning News, a social commentator on television and radio, and host of a podcast titled Race, Violence & Medicine. By listening to this conversation with Brian, you’ll learn about: - Communication in traumatic situations - Race and fitting in, specifically in the military and the medical profession - Service to humanity - Deciding to speak up

Lynne Adrine has more than 30 years of experience as a broadcast journalist and senior producer with multiple television network, including CNN, PBS Newshour, NBC News, CBS News and ABC News. In addition to presentation skills coaching for Spoken with Authority, she also serves as the director of a graduate program in broadcast and digital journalism for the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Lynne has a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Boston University, and went on to graduate work in Broadcast Journalism at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. By listening to this conversation with Lynne, you’ll learn about: - Gender, race, diversity, inclusion in U.S. newsrooms - How to directly confront bigotry in the workplace - Race and professional appearance - Spoiler alert: It’s offensive to touch the hair and / or heads of black people

Let ‘Em Speak is co-created by David Henderson, Christine Clapp, and Bjørn Stillion Southard. This episode explores their backgrounds and the perspectives they bring to the podcast project. David Henderson is an attorney fighting to end systemic injustice. He is a former prosecutor turned civil rights lawyer at Ellwanger Law PLLC. David, who identifies as an African American male, is also a Toastmasters World Champion of public speaking. Christine Clapp is the president of Spoken with Authority, a Washington, D.C.-based consultancy founded in 2008 that elevates the presence and expands the influence of professionals, and promotes inclusion in their organizations. Christine, who identifies as a white female, has co-authored two books on public speaking with Bjørn Stillion Southard. Bjørn Stillion Southard is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies and Director of Debate at the University of Georgia. Bjørn, who identifies as a white male, is also a presentation coach and workshop facilitator at Spoken with Authority.

Let ‘Em Speak is podcast about the risks and rewards of real talk by real people in the real world. By interviewing a diverse range of guests, the creators hope to have conversations that: - Raise awareness of challenges that members of underrepresented groups face in communication - Explore how authentic members of historically underrepresented groups can be in professional settings - Question the “standards” of public speaking and make them more inclusive - Amplify voices of speakers who have broken down barriers and use their experiences to inspire others - Listen to and share strategies and practices that work for different speakers - Train audience members to be open to a diverse range of speakers and speaking styles - Promote anti-racism and fight bigotry, especially as it relates to communication and public speaking This podcast aims to grapple with the complex dynamics of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the spaces of communication, presentation skills, and public speaking; there will not be easy answers. The creators believe it is better to engage at the risk of getting things wrong than to ignore prejudice, bigotry, and systems of oppression in the status quo. They aspire to Maya Angelou’s noteworthy quotation, "I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better."