January 21, 2026

This week’s meeting focused on intention, courage, and heartfelt reflection as we gathered around the theme “Dream It and Speak It.” The evening reminded us that this club is more than a place to practice speeches — it is a space where ideas become visible, accountability is shared, and dreams are spoken into being.

Our Toastmaster of the Day, Kirti, invited us to reflect on the power of putting our thoughts into words. By speaking our dreams out loud, we invite support, clarity, and connection. As she shared, when we voice our ideas here, someone in the room may already be walking that path, chasing the same goal, or preparing to take that next step alongside us. The invitation was simple and powerful: visualize your dreams and take the chance to speak them.

The Word of the Day was prudence (noun) — using good judgment before acting

Our first speaker, Dawn, delivered a reflective and relatable speech titled “Communicating in the Age of AI.” She explored the pressure and urgency that many of us feel in fast-paced work environments, especially as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in how we communicate and produce work. Through a candid personal story, Dawn shared how constant urgency can lead to frustration, overwhelm, and even moments of reacting rather than responding.

With honesty and humor, she reflected on turning to AI not for answers, but for perspective — using it as a non-judgmental mirror to better understand her own stress and communication patterns. Her key takeaway was an invitation to slow down and become more intentional in how we communicate, even suggesting that borrowing elements of “prompt engineering” — clarifying context, roles, constraints, and outcomes — could help us navigate difficult conversations with greater calm and clarity.

Our second speaker, Derick, presented a thought-provoking speech with the bold title “What Would You Do If Your Best Friend Turned Out to Be a Slave Owner?” Through this striking question, Derek examined integrity, loyalty, and personal standards. He reflected on a close friendship that has shaped his own values and explored what it means to live in alignment with one’s principles, even when faced with uncomfortable or morally complex situations.

Derek’s speech challenged us to consider how our relationships reflect our values, and how integrity sometimes requires difficult choices rooted in honesty and accountability. His reflections invited deep thought and stayed with many of us long after the speech ended.

The Table Topics portion of the meeting, led by Monica, brought vulnerability and connection to the forefront. Guided by questions aligned with the theme Dream It and Speak It, members were encouraged to reflect on who influences their dreams and what goals they are carrying into the new year.

Thank you to our evaluators, GE Ramya, Andrea, and Audrey, for evaluating our meeting and speeches.

As we move forward into the year, we carry with us a powerful reminder — dreams gain strength when spoken aloud, and none of us have to speak them alone. See you at our next meeting!