Self-Worth: Ten Women, Ten Truths
Self-Worth went live online on October 6, 2020, the last online competition of the year. Ten women made the finals.
Rina opened by explaining why this theme mattered. "I think this theme, of all the themes, is the one that resonates the most with people," she said. "This is more than a speaking competition. This is people sharing their heart and soul on stage, their most vulnerable stories." She also pointed to what the move online had made possible: speakers from around the world could now compete.
The scores at the end were high and very close.
1st Place: Sophie Sabbage
Sophie spoke about growing up with a body that drew attention and humiliation from the age of ten, and the long road to seeing herself differently. Her closing line: "I didn't need to look beautiful to be worthy. My worthiness made me beautiful, because beauty is a verb, not a noun."
Sophie was competing from England, where it was 2:00 in the morning. "My body is tired, but my spirit is wide awake," she said. It was her third Speaker Slam® competition of 2020, after Kindness and Identity, and it sent her to the 2020 Grand Slam, where she placed 2nd.
2nd Place: Merlyna Valentine
At seven, Merlyna rode her bicycle without holding the handlebars and shouted, "Look, Mom, no hands!" Decades later, while working as a school principal, she survived sepsis with a less than 10 percent chance of living and lost her hands and feet. Her speech followed the path from hiding under a sheet in a waiting room to knowing her value was not diminished.
"I know tonight my seven-year-old self would be so proud of me to hear me say: look, Mom, no hands, no feet, no problem."
Merlyna went on to win the 2020 Grand Slam and the title of Inspirational Speaker of the Year.
3rd Place: Karen Porter
Karen spoke about the first time she shared her 30-year battle with IBS, anxiety and depression on a stage, and what that risk taught her about self-worth. She closed by speaking to herself in the mirror: "I love you for enduring. I love you for pushing through the pain. And mostly, I love you for never giving up." Karen also competed at the 2020 Grand Slam.
Every Speaker, Every Story
- Marjorie Aunos: "As survivors, our worth is not dictated by our ability to stand up, but by our ability to stand tall."
- Danielle Caesar: "Once you return to yourself and restore your self-worth, you too can go from victim to victory."
- Suzan Nguyen: "We can continue to rebuild with our broken pieces and heal at the same time. This is me, just as I am, continuing to heal."
- Lisa Taylor: "Courage is within you. Ask for help. Be open to receive. Forgive. Release. It isn't easy, but it is the road to self-worth."
- Navi Bliss told the story of the end of her marriage and her "sweet revenge": showing up with kindness.
- Beverley Ellis and Celeste Frenette completed the lineup.
Meet the Judges Who Made It All Happen
- Gina Hatzis
- Jeff Stevens, Head of Social and Audience Development at APlus.com
- Makini Smith, Mindset Coach, Author and Podcast Host
- Mark Black
The judges introduced themselves on camera, donated the prizes, and gave each speaker one to two minutes of feedback after her speech.
Meet the full lineup in Meet the Speakers for Self-Worth 2020 and the panel in Meet Your Judges for Self-Worth 2020.
Watch Every Speech from Self-Worth 2020
