Walking through fear
At the 2024 Speaker Slam® Grand Slam, the Inspirational Speaking Finals held at CBC Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto, Alana Moor delivered “Walking through fear” and was named #2 Inspirational Speaker of the Year.
Transcript
, the more you suffocate. I found myself in the middle of the worst prison raid I'd ever seen, trying to save someone's life. By that time, I had already been pepper-sprayed so many times . So, I want you to imagine taking a bite of the hottest pepper or dish you've ever tasted, and that burning sensation spreads throughout your body. This is pepper spray and you must remain calm and slow your breathing or your throat may close up and this could be fatal.
Starting in 2015, I spent 4 and a half years in a Panamanian prison for international drug trafficking. Well, formal imprisonment is not at all what I was hoping to put on my LinkedIn profile. But it was a place where I learned to overcome fear and be brave. When you first go to prison, you're scared. And it takes weeks to adjust to this harsh new culture, you know? One day I'm sitting in my cell, my temporary home, and I hear the prisoners shouting, "Carne fresca!"
This means "fresh meat." Someone new has arrived. And it was at that very moment when the guards brought in the new prisoner that the raid began. Sixty police officers, dressed all in black and wearing balaclavas, stormed the prison, throwing smoke bombs and spraying pepper spray. This was a war zone. Through the smoke, I saw the new prisoner and immediately realized that something was wrong with her. Her eyes were bloodshot, tears were flowing like a river, and her face was starting to turn blue because she was coughing so hard she couldn't breathe.
And then I hear her say: "asthma." Oh my god, this woman could die . My skin is burning with fire. My eyes are burning. I can barely see, but I know no one will come to her aid , and I'm terrified for her. She's tall and heavy, but somehow at that moment I found the strength to grab her, put her on my shoulders, drag her to the restroom, sit her down, and start shouting at her in Spanish. The faster you breathe, the more you suffocate.
She fell into my arms, she was gasping and crying, my heart was breaking for her, and I just held her there. We breathed deeply together until eventually she slowed her breathing and felt better. And I remember that moment: looking around, I realized that I was surrounded by women who have to demonstrate the bravest versions of themselves every day, overcoming incredible difficulties, and I was also among them. isn't just for superheroes, okay? Everyone here today has their own understanding of courage, and while our experiences are different, what unites us all is the triumph over fear and the ability to say yes to the unknown.
You ask: what exactly, Alan? Quitting your job to follow your dream, stand up for your beliefs, or even dare to love. All of this makes you brave. So you know what? You don't need to go to prison to find out if you are brave. Hallelujah. Nelson Mandela said: “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” "The brave one is the one who overcomes this fear." That's all. It's part of our human nature. So the next time fear comes, I want you, and you, and you to walk through it.
Because you are brave. Thank you. Thank you. Yes. One speech can change your life. Unleash your strength, walk confidently. Inspire the world, unleash your story. Let's speak together, may your spirit
Transcript generated from the recording and lightly cleaned. Some names and wording may differ from the spoken speech.
