In the opening remarks, President Summer Murphy reshared what our esteemed member, Savannah, introduced a while ago, which is the concept of intersectionality. This includes the idea that each part of a person’s identity is subject to prejudices, and where those identities intersect, those prejudices can be magnified, sharing that some people are afraid of clowns and some are afraid of dentists, so if one happens to be a clown dentist, the intersectionality of those identities would be terrifying for some. She also mentioned that intersectionality is the reason that black trans women face even more hate and violence than others.
Summer highlighted that in 2023, of all the gender-nonconforming people who lost their lives to violent acts, 90% were black and 70% were trans women, so 60% were black trans women.
In a show of support for the Black Lives Matter movement, the group observed a minute of silence, muting microphones and turning off cameras to honor all victims of racial injustice.
A warm welcome to our newest member, Kendra Wiatt. We all look forward to the impact you will make, Kendra!
The meeting was then turned over to the Toastmaster of the day, Dave Burr. Dave introduced the “Word of the Day” (WOD), which was “escalate,” sharing that it is to elevate the issue to a higher level of authority or decision-making power when the current response is insufficient to adequately address the problem.
Toastmaster Summer Murphy introduced the first speaker, Toastmaster Savannah Murphy. Savannah delivered a speech about the Stonewall Riots and the history of Pride Month. Utilizing a slideshow featuring historic photos as well as images from current celebrations, Savannah was able to connect pivotal moments from the past with relevant events happening today.
Summer evaluated Savannah’s speech, complimenting what she saw, heard, and felt during the speech, and noting that the photos Savannah shared were particularly impactful. Summer also recognized how Savannah’s use of inclusive language, such as “we,” helped effectively connect the historic event to the present day.
Toastmaster Hema Kellett introduced Toastmaster Norris Bass, who delivered a speech titled “A Visit to the Museum.” Norris discussed his recent trip to the Civil Rights Museum, noting it had opened 50 years to the day of the Greensboro Sit-In. Norris highlighted lesser-known precursors to the 1960 sit-in and spoke about the horrific violence faced by African Americans, including the brutal murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till. He closed with the statement, “Those who forget history are bound to repeat it,” urging the audience to ensure these atrocities are not forgotten.
Hema Evaluated Norris’ speech, complimenting the speaker’s exceptional and captivating speech performance while also providing constructive feedback on areas for improvement to support his continued growth as a public speaker.
Toastmaster Saraswathi Mahalingam led a dynamic table topic session, fostering quick thinking, effective articulation, and confident on-the-spot communication skills.
Toastmaster Tim Murphy served as General Evaluator, providing comprehensive feedback on the meeting and commending the exceptional performance of participants. Toastmaster Stiles Burr delivered the Timer report, ensuring each segment adhered to the allocated time, while Toastmaster Kerstin, the Grammarian, offered valuable linguistic feedback and shared resonating quotes.
Toastmaster Dave smoothly handed over the meeting to Toastmaster Summer. Summer then proceeded to wrap up the meeting and officially adjourn the session.
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The next Sunrise Toastmasters meeting will be at 7 a.m. on June 14, EST. If you would like to join our meeting as a guest, contact us for the meeting link.
The roles for the next meeting are as follows:
Toastmaster: Tim
Speaker 1: Stiles
Speaker 2: John
Table Topics: Norris
General Evaluator: Saraswathi
Evaluator 1: Tina Joe
Evaluator 2: Abdulrahman
Timer: Hema
Grammarian: Dave
