The first time I had to give a public speech in high school, I was terrified.
I had successfully avoided public speaking in high school for almost two years. But as part of our Great Books class, we were required to present character studies in front of class.
We worked in pairs to create the character studies, so I thought my partner would give our public presentation.
I felt good, I’d avoid speaking in public again!
Then I discovered my partner was more terrified about public speaking than I was.
I stepped up.
Accepting the challenge, I practiced my presentation for days. I think my dog got tired of listening to it.
And found a strategy for speaking in public for the first time, thanks to my understanding teacher.
I survived!
Phew.
If the thought of speaking in public terrifies you, or makes your break out in a sweat, as it did me , this weekend’s event focused on public speaking training is for you.
Global Diversity CFP Day
For the third year, the Global Diversity CFP (Call for Proposals) Day focuses on helping first-time speakers, especially those in underrepresented and marginalized groups, prepare their proposal for a technology conference.
As part of the worldwide effort, Detroit Speakers in Tech is hosting a free training workshop for speakers on Saturday, January 18, 2020.
The Detroit event features local veteran speakers as mentors to share their speaking advice, offer guidance on your talk proposal, and encourage you to submit your proposal.
From the workshop website, if you:
- Are new to conference speaking
- Identify as part of a group that is underrepresented in technology
- Get nervous about being on stage
- Want to improve your skills as a speaker
this event is for you!
Workshop Information and Registration
Hosted by Detroit Speakers in Tech, Global Diversity CFP Day Detroit is Saturday, January 18, 2020 from 10:00am to 4:00pm at Grand Circus in downtown Detroit, Michigan.
The event is free; pre-registration is required. Lunch is included.
You don’t need to bring a laptop or anything to the workshop, unless you want to take notes.
Wrap Up
Public speaking at a tech conference is an excellent opportunity to share your experience and thoughts on things you care about.
If the thought of speaking in public makes you squeamish, register for Global Diversity CFP Day in Detroit on Saturday, January 18, 2020.
You’ll walk away more confident about speaking and creating talk proposals and you’ll get to meet other tech people in our Detroit community who are new to speaking.
