July 16, 2025

This week, we explored the theme of “moonshots” with our Toastmaster, Preetha, inspired by President Kennedy’s ambitious goal of landing a man on the moon. This theme served as a backdrop for our discussions, speeches, and evaluations, emphasizing the importance of aiming high and pursuing transformative ideas.

Nitin presented a leader profile that celebrated the legacy of Dadasaheb Phalke, father of Indian cinema (1913). He highlighted Phalke’s visionary qualities, innovative spirit, and resilience in overcoming societal challenges to establish the Indian film industry. Nitin’s presentation emphasized the importance of dreaming big and taking risks, drawing parallels between Phalke’s journey and the aspirations we all hold.

Next, we had two speakers today, who shared their “moonshot moments” – personal stories of ambition, resilience, and growth. Josel kicked off the prepared speeches with a captivating talk on “How to Give a Wedding Speech.” He shared his journey of overcoming anxiety and finding the right words to honor his best friend on a special day. His practical tips on storytelling and keeping speeches concise resonated with the audience, showcasing the power of personal narratives in public speaking. He also reminded us that speeches are not about you, but rather a gift for your audience.

Monica followed with her revised speech titled “An Unwelcome Old Friend,” where she recounted a humorous yet relatable experience involving cockroaches during her stay in New York City. Her ability to reframe a daunting situation into a lesson about confronting fears was both entertaining and insightful, leaving the audience with valuable takeaways about resilience and perspective.

The meeting also featured an engaging table topics session led by Ignacio, where participants shared their experiences related to failure and learning. This segment highlighted the importance of embracing setbacks as opportunities for growth – reinforcing the idea that failures can lead to significant personal development.

This meeting was a celebration of communication, resilience, and the courage to dream big. We look forward to our next gathering, where we will continue to hone our skills and support each other on our journeys toward becoming more effective speakers and leaders. Join us next week for a workshop on nonviolent communication, where we will explore empathetic dialogue and its impact on our interactions.

See you at our next meeting!