Three years ago, I was presenting at a conference, and the keynote speaker was

speaking two hours before me, so I had plenty of time to kill. At this particular keynote, I
didn't want to go in the auditorium to listen to the talk. I didn't want to go because the topic
was about something I didn't think I could relate to. It was about the speaker's experiences as
a Jewish gay man. I knew I couldn't learn anything from this man. After all, I'm not gay, I'm
not Jewish, and I'm not a man. So what could I possibly learn from him? But I had nothing
else to do before my presentation, so I decided I would sit in the auditorium and just play on
my phone. Once the speaker started sharing his message, I was instantly taken aback that I
even forgot I was there to play on my phone.
First, I was shocked by how much this man had gone through just to be accepted by
society. And then I realized that even though his experiences were different
from my own journey, we were not all that different.
That day, here is what I learned: that whether you're gay or straight, black or white,
Jewish, Christian, or Muslim, Democrat or Republican, human beings at their very core are
yearning for the same thing: to be accepted for who we are.
In my early days of coming to America, I struggled with sticking out as different.
Whenever people asked me, "What's your name, hon?" I would say, "My name is Seconde,"
and they would say, "Oh, you have a beautiful accent," and I would reply, "Thank you." But I
was aware that my accent had an accent. So I already knew the follow-up question, which
was: "Where are you from?" I would pause, think, and then say, "I'm Canadian."
But they would ponder my answer, give me a once over, and ask again: "But where
are you from originally?" with a fat emphasis on "originally." It wasn't until, one day, my two
teenage daughters sat me down, looked me in the eye, and, with a teenage attitude, said,
"Mom, we've noticed that each time people ask you where you come from, "you lie." Yeah, it
was like a mini-intervention or something.
What my daughters didn't know was why I was trying to hide my origins. At that
time, they were too young to fully understand the many scars I carried within, scars of a
childhood lived in a war-torn country. I was born and grew up in Burundi, a small country
located in East Central Africa. From the age of six, I had experienced civil wars, constant
unrest and destruction in my country, that I felt ashamed of the war stigma and the many
invisible wounds it inflicted on me. And as a result of the ongoing civil wars, I became a war
refugee, and I lived in Canada for 12 years before moving of the United States. Moving from
Africa to Canada and then to America
meant that I had to deal with a set of new expectations from different people and different
cultures. As a newcomer, there was always a place where my being different was pointed out,
and not always in a good way, which is why I was trying to hide my origins when people
asked me where I came from. I wanted to belong and to be fully accepted. Today, I consider
myself fortunate to have experienced life in these different cultural settings. They gave me a
new sense of appreciation, and new perspectives when it comes to diversity and inclusion.
Now, I'm not saying that it was all smooth sailing, but what I learned came from some of the
most difficult situations, especially as a mother - situations like when my children came home
from school crying because they had been called names by their classmates when they had
started school - names such as "chocolate milk" or asked whether their mom drank too much
black coffee when she was pregnant. Granted, these words had a racial connotation, but five-,
six-, and seven-year-old children are not racist. Those kids were only acting out of what they
didn't know, and what they have not been taught. I could have blamed their parents, their
teachers, or the principal, and to be honest with you, I did. But then after some time I realized
that no amount of blaming could have restored my children's self-esteem or reduced my own
pain.
When people think "different is bad for you," and you buy into it, before you know,
you might start denying your own self-worth and self-identity, as I was doing before my
teenagers set me straight. That's when I decided that the only thing I could really control was
to choose how to respond. I could be bitter, or I could be better. It was my choice. So instead
of fear, I started using my differences and my adversities to fuel my compassion for others. I
chose to advocate for and educate about diversity, and to bridge the cultural gap between our
communities. That became my passion and my mission. Today, I see how the fear of our
differences is affecting the youth in our schools and communities across America, and the
growing disconnect young people feel when it comes to their social identities.
When I speak to students in high schools or colleges and universities, the number one
hurdle they share is not about academic achievement, is about fear being different, and threat
they face on their campus or in their communities, mostly because of their race, gender,
sexual identity and religion. Some of you may walked into a situation where you were put in
a box, maybe because of how you look, who you love, what religion you practice, or how
your name sounds. At time, we all been a victim and a perpetrator of stereotype and bias, but
when we unleash our capacity for human connection and human empathy, we give others the
gift of living in their own truth. I now look at racism, sexism, or any other type of
discrimination that plagues our society today with these two perspectives:
 (i) It’s what it does to the person it’s committed against.
(ii) It’s what it does to the perpetrator of that discrimination.

I fully believe that the victim or the perpetrator are both wounded, and they need healing.
Deep in my heart, I know we are more alike than different, so I have hope that we can build
an even more beautiful world. If we choose to use our differences as a catalyst to uplift one
another. If we choose to see others for who they are and not what they are, we might even
change the world.

Sometimes people ask me, “What we can do so that our next generation can live in a world
where differences are celebrated?” Let me share 3 things you can start to do today:

(i) Start where you are, and where you have most personal power to impact change. It
can be your home, school or workplace.
(ii) Be brave by having conversation that are sometimes uncomfortable. (eg: race
issues) Racist will not going away by just ignoring it, so let’s have a conversation
about race, and seek understanding from one another, and heal each other.
(iii) Be flexible. Even when something you don’t understand or you don’t agree with,
have an open mind, and learn what you don’t know.

In the end, it really come down to giving a kind smile to a stranger a handshake or a head
shake, to acknowledge somebody by saying “I see you”, “I love you”, “You matter”.
QUESTION 11

What methods are used to prepare the audience for ending the speech?

Seconde Nimenya utilized the dissolve ending method to signal the end of the speech. She
summarized the key points which is about the discrimination and share the way to change this
circumstance. The speaker highlighting the common hurdle faced by individuals, which is not
related to academic achievement but rather fear and threats based on race, gender, sexual
identity, and religion. By acknowledging this shared experience, the speaker creates a sense
of unity among the audience and establishes the importance of addressing these issues.

She sets the emotional tone by addressing the common hurdles faced by individuals
due to fear, threats, and discrimination based on race, gender, sexual identity, and religion.
She used her perspective on discrimination to connect with the audience on a deeper level.
She adopts a tone that is personal, vulnerable, and authentic, sharing her own belief and
lessons learned. She conveys her belief in facing discrimination and inspire the audience to
engage with the way of facing discrimination.

Strategic pauses were strategically employed by Seconde Nimenya to allow the

audience time to reflect on key points. This rhythmic speech pattern provided the audience
with ample opportunity to digest and contemplate her words. After completing a sentence,
she would briefly look down, creating a pause, before facing the audience again. This
strategic use of pauses enabled the audience to fully absorb the message being conveyed.

Seconde Nimenya effectively engaged the audience by evoking relatable scenarios.

She stated, "Some of you may have walked into a situation where you were boxed in, judged
by your appearance, whom you love, your religion, or the sound of your name." This
statement elicited a powerful empathetic response, enabling the audience to connect
emotionally and understand the issue on a personal level.

In conclusion, she engages the audience to take action to create a world where
differences are celebrated to create an inspirational dissolve ending by saying “In the end, it
really come down to giving a kind smile to a stranger a handshake or a head shake, to
acknowledge somebody by saying “I see you”, “I love you”, and “You matter””. This final
statement encapsulated the core message of her speech, leaving a profound and lasting impact
on the audience. The overall pacing of Seconde Nimenya's speech was deliberately slow and
warm, effectively delivering her message with impact and importance. This intentional
delivery allowed the audience to fully process and engage with the content. It facilitated
reflection, comprehension, and an emotional connection with the speaker's words.

QUESTION 12

How does the speaker reinforce the central idea? Explain.

The speaker, Seconde Nimenya reinforce the central idea by using three ways which are
summarize her speech, make a dramatic statement and refer to the introduction. Firstly, she
begins by summarizing the main points from her speech. The speaker effectively summarizes
her speech by reminding the audience of the shared desire for acceptance, the impact of
discrimination on both victims and perpetrators, and the hope for a more inclusive and
compassionate society. This summary reinforces the central idea that despite our apparent
differences, we can find common ground and create positive change by embracing diversity
and fostering understanding.

Next, she used the way of making a dramatic statement to reinforce her central idea
and give her conclusion force and vitality. The speaker makes a dramatic statement by
emphasizing that we are more alike than different. She stated, “Deep in my heart, I know we
are more alike than different, so I have hope that we can build an even more beautiful
world.”. This has a profound influence on the audience where she inspires the audience with
a sense of unity. Moreover, towards the end of the speech, she stated, “In the end, it really
come down to giving a kind smile to a stranger a handshake or a head shake, to acknowledge
somebody by saying “I see you”, “I love you”, “You matter”.”. The audience was stunned
since she delivers a powerful statement that leaves a lasting impact on the audience. The
speaker heightened the effectiveness by pausing just a moment before delivering the final
words and by using her voice to provide them with the perfect intonation. This dramatic
statement adds emotional weight to the central idea and reinforces the message of unity and
compassion.

Lastly, the speaker refers to the introduction at the end of the speech. The speaker
brings the speech full circle by referring back to the introduction. She recalls her initial
reluctance to listen to the keynote speaker's talk because she believed she couldn't relate to
his experiences. However, as the speech unfolded, she realized that despite their differences,
they shared a common humanity. By referencing her own transformation and realization, she
reinforces the central idea that we are not all that different and that understanding and
empathy can bridge the gaps between us.

Seconde Nimenya effectively used these three ways together to reinforce the central
idea of the speech and leave the audience with a powerful message of unity, compassion, and
the potential for positive change. She not only telling compelling story and her belief on
discrimination but she also stated the ways to change the problem.
Reference