Humanist

Have you ever performed on stage or given a speech?

Yes, I have performed on stage, mostly giving speeches. I have given a respectable number of speeches on different stages – including high profile ones, nationally in my home country and international on the world stage.

My chosen speech giving style is storytelling. I love it when the story helps to carry the speech beautifully.

My most recent speech, on a high profile stage, for example, in which I felt the factual story that I told carried the speech effectively, was early this year, when by invitation of the President of the Uganda Law Society (ULS) current, I gave the keynote address.

His feedback says it all:

“The best keynote speech ever! Thank you Norah for the courage to share your story with us at the Radical New Bar, and I do hope that your call for solarization inspires a T-Rex generation of young professionals who will be brave enough to end these injustices. Best wishes,” Isaac Ssemakadde.

CLICK HERE to read the keynote address I gave at the ULS and which I titled: “Dinosaur T-Rex enforcer of criminal justice.”

In addition to the wider membership of ULS, in the room and online were high level representatives of all organs of the justice law and order sector in Uganda; as well as leaders of international human rights organisation.

Their engagement with my speech, including on social media, indicates to me I communicated effectively. I am not a lawyer, but with the help of storytelling, I was help to vividly get the message across to them.

Another speech well received that I gave via storytelling was when I represented my young brother, to give the employer’s speech at one of his employee’s marriage ceremony. The guests, parents of the couple, included high level dignitaries, such as for example Gen. Katumba Wamala.

This was right after I gave the speech while Gen. Wamala thanked me for a great speech.

CLICK HERE to read the speech which I shared as a blog post sharing “Tips for writing and giving the ‘Employer’s Speech’ at marriage ceremonies.”

Sometimes, when I have stepped on the stage I was the underdog among those considered wow! And each time I was tickled when those considered wow! turned out not all that. This comment is not so much about what they said, but how they said it, including how they presented themselves on stage.

Stage presence is as important as what it is you are going to say. So, for each and every speech and or performance, I make every effort to prepare for the stage and how I should be present on the stage. In a way that will open the door and let what I am saying into the minds of the audience, so to speak.