On July 21st, 2026, ten speakers will take the stage at Lula Lounge in Toronto for Identity, a powerful night exploring who we are beneath the labels, expectations, and roles we’ve been given.
These are the voices that chose to define themselves on their own terms. The ones who questioned the narratives they were handed and stepped into something more honest, more aligned, and fully their own.
Each story captures a turning point: reclaiming identity, shedding old versions, and owning the truth of who they are becoming.
The winner will receive a prize package valued at up to $10,000, including $2,000 cash, along with a coveted spot at the 2026 Grand Slam: Inspirational Speaking Finals.
Lyrique Richards
Bestselling Author, Confidence Expert, Speaker | Ottawa, Canada
Lyrique Richards is a bestselling and award-winning author, Confidence Expert, and speaker known for her powerful storytelling and ability to inspire authentic self-expression. Through her work, she creates space for honest conversations about identity, self-worth, and what it truly means to show up as yourself. Drawing from her lived experiences as a second-generation Caribbean Canadian, Lyrique uses her voice to challenge societal narratives and empower others to honour every part of who they are. "Being part of Speaker Slam means showing up as my full self and trusting that my story will connect with someone who needs it."
Nisha Batra
Early Childhood Educator, Disability Studies Student, Inclusive Education Advocate | Toronto, Canada
Nisha Batra is an Early Childhood Educator, neurodiversity advocate, and an undergraduate student in the Disability Studies program at Toronto Metropolitan University. Awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her dedicated work in advocacy, Nisha is passionate about breaking down systemic barriers and promoting truly inclusive educational infrastructure. As an advocate navigating a Nonverbal Learning Disability herself, she brings a powerful blend of frontline professional expertise and profound lived experience to the stage. Nisha is dedicated to empowering students, challenging fixed mindsets, and ensuring that authentic, diverse voices guide the future of inclusive education.
Michelle Coghlin
Women's Identity & Reclamation Strategist, Founder of PrimpHaus, Creator of The Visible You Method™ | Ontario, Canada
Michelle Coghlin is an entrepreneur, certified hypnotherapist, and creator of The Visible You™ Experience. As the founder of PrimpHaus, she has spent years helping women build confidence from the outside in, while her work in hypnotherapy focuses on helping them transform from the inside out. Drawing from her experiences as a business owner, mother, and advocate for children with special needs, Michelle is passionate about identity, resilience, and personal transformation. Through her work, she helps women stop living by expectation and start living as their authentic selves.
Dr. Jane Barratt
Ageism Expert, Global Advisor, Health Systems Consultant | Toronto, Canada
Dr. Jane Barratt is a global advisor, writer, and speaker whose work touches on ageing, identity, health, and hope. For more than 30 years, she has worked across public health, social policy, disability, and human rights, including two decades as Secretary General of the International Federation on Ageing. She has collaborated with the World Health Organization, the United Nations, governments, nongovernmental associations, academia, and industry to help shift how the world understands later life, dignity, belonging, and care. Jane’s work is driven by one central belief: ageing is not only a policy issue, it is a human story about who we are, who we become, and how we remain visible to one another. She is known for bringing warmth, moral clarity, and systems insight to difficult conversations. Through her writing, speaking, and advisory work, Jane challenges ageism and invites audiences to think more courageously about identity, vulnerability, and the possibility of hope at every stage of life.
Lilly White
Life Transition Expert, Resilience Speaker, Recovery Advocate | Almonte, Canada
Lilly White is a transformational speaker, author, and storyteller who has spent more than three decades helping people navigate life’s greatest challenges and discover the wisdom hidden within their darkest moments. Her own journey has been one of extraordinary resilience. A woman in long-term recovery since 1991, Lilly has faced profound loss, including the deaths of her daughter, brother, and parents, while learning that healing does not come from avoiding our wounds but from finding meaning through them. A former entrepreneur and founder of The White Lilly, Lilly has authored multiple books including 365 Ways to Power Up Your Life, Madness, Addiction & Love, and her Bali trilogy exploring healing, culture, and the human spirit. Her work has led her from television and radio to international retreats and stages where she shares powerful stories of transformation, forgiveness, identity, and the courage to begin again. With warmth, humor, and radical honesty, Lilly invites audiences to ask the most important question: “What if the very thing that broke you became the doorway to who you were always meant to become?” At 70 years old, Lilly continues to prove that reinvention has no expiration date and that every chapter of our life , even the painful ones , can become a story that gives hope to others
Patrick Richard Garcia
Inspirational Speaker, AI Consultant, Learning Disability Champion | North York, Canada
Patrick Richard Garcia is an entrepreneur, AI consultant, hospitality professional, author, and learning disability advocate dedicated to helping individuals and organizations unlock their full potential through innovation, resilience, and personal growth. With over a decade of experience in customer service, operations, leadership, and event management, Patrick currently serves within the luxury hospitality industry while building PRG AI Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps entrepreneurs and businesses leverage artificial intelligence to improve efficiency, scalability, and long-term growth. Through practical AI education, implementation strategies, and business transformation solutions, he empowers clients to navigate the evolving digital landscape with confidence. Patrick's professional journey is deeply influenced by his personal experiences overcoming a learning disability. What was once perceived as a limitation became a catalyst for developing disciplined success habits, resilience, and a growth-oriented mindset. His story serves as an example that challenges do not define potential; rather, they can become the foundation for extraordinary achievement. As an emerging author and speaker, Patrick shares insights on overcoming adversity, personal development, leadership, entrepreneurship, and the power of self-belief. His work focuses on helping individuals transform obstacles into opportunities while creating systems that foster sustainable success. Through storytelling, coaching, and educational initiatives, he advocates for greater awareness and support for individuals with learning disabilities and neurodiverse backgrounds. Beyond business and professional development, Patrick is passionate about mentoring youth, supporting educational initiatives, and inspiring future generations to pursue their goals regardless of their circumstances. He believes that every individual possesses unique strengths capable of creating meaningful impact when combined with purpose, discipline, and continuous learning. Patrick's mission is to bridge the gap between human potential and innovation by empowering people to think bigger, lead boldly, and create lives and businesses that align with their highest aspirations
Tina Calleri
Inspirational Keynote Speaker | Markham, Canada
Tina Calleri is a survivor, Speaker, singer, and an advocate whose life and bodies the spirit of resilience and renewal. Born in Italy and raised in Canada, her early years were marked by culture, challenges, domestic responsibilities, and the weight of generational expectations. Yet through adversity and resilience, Tina found her strength first music, then ultimately in her own voice. For over three decades, Tina has nurtured the minds and hearts of young children to flourishing daycare, where she integrates music, play, and storytelling to cultivate emotional intelligence and confidence. Her professional success as an early childhood specialist is matched by her personal mission: to break cycles of silence and shame, and to empower others, especially women and children,, to reclaim their worth.
Adrian Leckie
Mental Health Speaker, Leadership Development Expert, Youth Success Strategist | Scarborough, Canada
Adrian Leckie is a dynamic speaker, educator, and community builder who helps students and emerging professionals find their voice, build confidence, and lead with impact. With more than a decade of experience in higher education, mentorship, and leadership development, Adrian creates transformative spaces where people feel seen, supported, and inspired to step into their potential. He is also the creator of the Shades of Sixcess podcast where he interviews emerging professionals, and explores redefining success on your own terms. Blending powerful storytelling, pop-culture references, and practical leadership strategies, Adrian encourages audiences to stop waiting for permission and become the hero of their own story
Sandra Rinto-Flavien
Professional Coach & Speaker | Quebec, Canada
Sandra Rinto-Flavien is a leadership coach, speaker, and founder of SRF Coaching & Consulting Inc., with 23 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. She specializes in helping professionals navigate the gap between the role they were handed and the leader they actually are. A certified coach (ACC/ICF) and 2020 Diversity & Inclusion Award recipient, Sandra is currently building her first book and speaking platform - both rooted in the same question that changed her life: why is this important to you? She lives in Montreal, Quebec.
Ghinwa Merei
Executive Coach, Keynote Speaker, Conscious Leadership Strategist | Oakville, Canada
Ghinwa Merei is the Founder of Envisionary Innovative Consulting, a boutique coaching and consulting firm that helps high-achieving leaders create inside-out success that is authentic, fulfilling, and sustainable, while building more engaged teams. She works with senior leaders to navigate complexity and uncertainty with greater clarity, presence, and resilience, integrating inner mastery with leadership and business strategy through a conscious, holistic approach to become future-ready in a rapidly changing world. With over 20 years of experience in senior leadership roles within Fortune 500 companies, including a decade in financial services, Ghinwa has a proven track record of building and leading high-performing teams. After experiencing firsthand the hidden cost of high achievement, she now helps leaders redefine success so they can sustain high performance without burnout, while leading with greater intention and energy. She holds a dual Executive MBA from Cornell University and Queen’s University, and is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC).