February 4, 2026

This week’s meeting focused on women’s leadership, intention, and personal growth as we gathered around the theme “When Women Rise, The World Transforms.” The evening reminded us that this club is more than a place to practice speeches — it is a space where leadership is nurtured, voices are strengthened, and collective impact is created.

Our Toastmaster of the Day, Andrea, invited us to reflect on how women’s leadership is not only personal, but transformational. Through her opening remarks, we explored how supporting women to lead, grow, and thrive creates ripple effects across families, communities, and workplaces. The invitation was both simple and powerful: when women are supported, the world changes.

The word of the day was:

Catalyst (noun) — a person or thing that brings about change

Our first speaker, Ignacio, delivered a reflective and inspiring speech sharing his journey in Toastmasters and the completion of his Dynamic Leadership pathway. He explored how he chose not to eliminate his fear of public speaking, but to re-educate it — using fear as motivation to prepare, grow, and lead more intentionally. Ignacio reflected on discovering his leadership style, learning to balance listening to others with trusting his own voice, and how meditation and Toastmasters together have supported his growth. A key takeaway from his speech was that leadership is a work in progress, and that knowing our own direction is essential before we can lead others.

Our second speaker, Lily, presented a thoughtful and empowering speech inspired by the concepts of “Let Them” and “Let Me.” Through personal stories and humor, she examined letting go of other people’s judgments, reclaiming energy for oneself, and choosing intentional self-care. Lily shared how meditation has helped her feel calmer and more productive, and emphasized the importance of community in sustaining personal growth. Her reflections challenged us to consider what we need to release, what we want to prioritize, and how supportive spaces like Women L.E.A.D. help us practice these shifts.

The Table Topics portion of the meeting, led by Preetha, brought laughter, creativity, and connection to the room. Guided by questions aligned with the theme, members reflected on what a woman-designed workweek might look like, imagined humorous and meaningful Women’s Day award categories, reimagined common phrases about women to make them more empowering, and shared which women they would choose to go on a road trip with and why.

Thank you to our evaluators and functionaries for their thoughtful feedback and support in helping our speakers and our club continue to grow.

See you at our next meeting!