Virginia Woman Receives Cicero Speechwriting Award for Inspiring TEDx Addressing Social Justice and Putting the Nation's Current Divides in the Spotlight
NORFOLK, Va., April 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk native, Shereese Floyd-Thompson, founder and chief storytelling officer for the Witness My Life Movement, has won a 2021 Cicero Speechwriting Award from Vital Speeches of the Day.
Floyd-Thompson's speech "The Secret to Healing the World" won in the 2021 TED/TEDx category. This talk was originally performed on November 7, 2020 at TEDxOcala and ended in a rousing standing ovation. It launched on YouTube a month later and since surged to 45,000+ views during the George Floyd murder trial.
Floyd-Thompson, a black woman, shares her story of living across the cul-de-sac from a white neighbor who displays a Confederate flag. She details how they were able to bridge the divide over a carton of eggs. She notes stories on race, socioeconomics and injustice to drive home her point -- Can we live in peace with those who share different political and ideological views?
In this 13-minute talk, she tackles the current health and heart crises and asserts that in order to heal the world, we must go beyond the surface and make things personal to shift perspective. At a time where people seem to pick their sides and relate to each other from those boundaries, she challenges the audience to see beyond labels, titles and notions and ask of each other a simple and vulnerable question: Will you be a witness to my life?
Excerpt: "When we share our stories and give voice to our experiences we carry each other within us. Our knowledge expands but our worlds get smaller. I believe within the context of our lives, hashtags and mantra we are simply pleading with each other -- see me because I matter. We all matter."
Winners will be recognized at the 2021 World Conference of the Professional Speechwriters Association Oct. 18–22.
To watch the talk, visit, watchmytedx.com
About Shereese Floyd-Thompson and Witness My Life Movement
Shereese Floyd-Thompson is the founder of the Witness My Life Movement. As a storytelling advisor, she teaches on how to use storytelling to have difficult conversations, unite around a cause, influence behaviors and move people to action. Shereese believes story is the one thing that truly brings the world together.
WitnessMyLifeMovement.com
About the Awards
Presented by Vital Speeches of the Day, the prestigious monthly collection of speeches, the Cicero Speechwriting Awards recognize the work that makes the speeches that help leaders lead – in every sector of business, politics and society.
Media contact:
Shereese Floyd-Thompson
757-577-2972
SOURCE Shereese Floyd-Thompson
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