Campus Progress Public Speaking Workshop

On Wednesday, June 21, 2006 Campus Progress sponsored a public speaking workshop at the Center for American Progress. The workshop featured Jennie Blackton, writer; actress; radio; progressive activist.

In her earlier life, Jennie Blackton spent time on Broadway as the third daughter in Fiddler on the Roof; she learned how to talk fast as the first woman on rock ‘n’ roll radio in New York City; she hosted her own talk shows, the last being two hours live on Lose Angeles television; he wrote comedy as a sitcom writer of shows such as One Day at a Time all the way up to her last show, Roseanne; she was the happy recipient of two Emmys for her work as a writer/producer; she was the vice president of three movie studios. And yet, she felt she was contributing nothing to the world until she realized all her skills put together could help good candidates for elective office become the best public speakers and the most appealing one-on-one campaigners, and she could write stump speeches for them that would keep an audience listening! She also realized that if she didn’t pursue this, she would only have herself to blame when a good candidate lost a race because of his or her inability to engage an audience. So, 10 years ago, she shifted her life into politics and has never looked back. She’s worked all over the country, developing candidates for organizations, all over the world (training women to run for elective office in Malawi, Africa, for instance), and in races in almost every state. Her passion is finding and developing talent to run for elective the offices on the most ground level: county, municipal, city, and state offices.

Jennie Blackton, started with giving us a secret to public speaking, which was “Breathe from you diaphragm”. She also told us to make sure we don’t jam our mouth into the microphone and identify with the audience. Jennie taught us the full-proof guide she had created to public speaking. Once, we had learned the six steps, she gave a few of us the opportunity to practice in front of the group. First, a guy running for SGA president at his school got up. Second, a lady that plans to run for a seat on the School Board for Prince George’s County in Maryland. Third was a guy that chose to speak on an international issue. He spoke about Cyprus and how Turkey had illegally invaded a third of the island and is raping many women and girls. He really had a hard time due to the issue (he chose). The guy did not criticism well either. At that point, I said to myself if he got up there so can I. When she called for another volunteer, another intern from the Center for American Progress named Peter got up. She then asked would any ladies care to speak I then volunteered. I was the fourth person to volunteer. I chose to speak about the lack of security on the campus of North Carolina Central University. I spoke a little fast at first and she stopped me. After being stopped, I had to get “a feel” for the audience. By asking various questions for people to answer, I identified with them and they identified with me. When I finished speaking about my issue, I received criticism and I believe I took it very well. This was a learning experience for me and I will cherish the opportunity forever. Peter then spoke about drinking at the age of 21. He was short and to the point. I think he did a really good job. I enjoy opportunities like this when people can learn and grow.