Ep. 60 How to Handle a Controversial Subject with Sadika Kebbi

Hey, Darren, how are you today?

I'm doing great. I am really excited because this is very different kind of speech, a TEDx talk that we're going to go deep into because this is deep and inspiring.

Yeah. Because the question is, how can you deliver a potentially controversial presentation but do it with grace, with dignity and be effective without being offensive and ultimately be unforgettable? Today's guest will tell us how. Let's meet Sadiqa Kebi after our opening.

Anyone can give a presentation. Few deliver unforgettable presentations. What's the difference? You're about to find out. Welcome to the Unforgettable Presentations podcasts with your hosts, world champion speakers and coaches, Mark Brown.

Mark Brown, your life tells a story and there's someone out there who needs to hear it.

And Darren Lacroix.

And Darren Lacroix, stage time, stage time, stage time.

Ready for some powerful presentation, Ahas. Let's dive right in.

Now, Darren, our listeners probably know I like to imitate you once in a.

While when you go, oh my gosh. Well, Darren, today I have an oh.

My gosh for you. I heard a TedX talk a couple of years ago that to me was unforgettable. I had to meet the speaker coming.

To us all the way from Lebanon.

Our guest, our friend today, Sadiqa Kebi is a storyteller, an author, an educator, a John Maxwell team executive director, a trainer, a coach, a toastmaster, a speech contestant, a TEDx presenter, a university lecturer. I got to take a breath. And she is fluent in at least three different languages.

And I know I have.

I speak two languages, English and poor English. And I can't wait for our friends, our audience to meet my new friend and wonderful presenter from Lebanon, Sadiqa Kebi. Sadiqa, how are you today?

I'm fine, thank you so much, Mark. Thank you, Darren, for having me today. It's really an honor for me to be on that platform. Thank you so much.

Well, I gotta tell you, Sadiqa, as you know, when I saw your TEDx talk two years ago, I contacted you immediately and said this is an unforgettable presentation for a couple of reasons. Now, Darren, you know, we have taught speakers for the last 20 years about different kind of techniques. But what's unusual is having what could be a potentially controversial topic, but handle it with dignity, with grace and with such technique, you walk away going, wow, not only was it unforgettable, but I now look at myself. What have I learned? How can I change? And how can I look at my world? In a different way. And you saw the speech yourself. I'm curious to know your take on Sadiqa's presentation, Darren.

Just powerful and just so classy. And man, right on point. I mean, you said it all. To take a controversial topic in a country that's been under war, oh my gosh, you gotta go check this out. By the way, if you want to see the actual speech, go to TEDx and search when your enemy becomes human. When your enemy becomes human. And with a title like that, you're what? But man, does she handle it so well and with eloquence.

So Sadiqa, I must ask again, wonderful talk. And I encourage everyone, please watch it. Get your family to watch it, get your friends to watch it. It is transformational. So Sadiqa, where did the idea of this TEDx talk come from originally?

Well, Mark, for a long time it was bubbling inside because of the situation in Lebanon, of the delicate, if you want situation in Lebanon, whether political, whether religious, put it in any way you want to put it. So it has been, this message has been bubbling inside for years and the story took place when I was at first, the first part of the story took place when I was 10 years old and then the second part when I was 12 years old. And it really has impacted me very powerfully. But I couldn't share it. And I think God always works in mysterious ways. When it was time for sharing the story, it was there, it was out there, it was ready to be shared. So God puts things together like a puzzle and when it's time, it's just out there, it's ready to be revealed if you want. So it took its time and I kind of waited for the right moment when I felt that my countrymen are ready to listen to such a message and are ready to understand what happened on both sides if you want. Because in Lebanon we are 18 sects and this is not easy for a very tiny country. And those 18 sects were in such harmony that at a certain point in history we were called the Paris of the Middle east or the Switzerland of the Middle east because of that diversity that was striving together for culture, knowledge, art, whatever you want to name it. And then all of a sudden everything tumbled. Lebanon was divided into 18 pieces.

Now with this very difficult and sensitive topic, a country that was once unified is now divided. And through the experience, you as a 10 to 12 year old girl had an amazing experience with someone who was different. And I'm not going to have you reveal the whole presentation here, but you said you knew it was a sensitive topic and you, your countrymen, had to be ready to receive it. And right there, Darren, I think to myself, oh, my gosh, maybe not every message you need to deliver, maybe the audience is not ready to hear that message, and maybe the timing is a key factor in delivering an important message, especially one that is so sensitive, because it concerns Muslims and Christians in a country and at a time when things got very difficult, if I remember correctly.

Is that right, Silica?

Yes, that's true. Yeah. Right.

And globally, our world has had conflict across religious sects and denominations and faiths and belief. But what was powerful to me was the way you treated this topic based upon your own life experience was not just powerful, but it was sensitive, it was full of grace, it was very dignified, and it was not offensive. And so often now we have to deliver a message, and we can find that our messages can be offensive, but you found ways to treat it very, very delicately. But you didn't shy away from the depth of the truth. And I know Darren always teaches we have to be clear. Clarity, clarity, clarity is one of our directions, Darren. And when you saw the video, Darren got the message. What. What stuck out to you in the manner in which Sadiqa got this powerful message across?

Well, just for me, it was the eloquence and the writing. Like the personal story. Absolutely. Because we talk about challenges that we have, and then we compare it to what she went through, especially at 10 years old. Oh, my gosh. Are you kidding? That's. You can't even argue with that. And one of the lines that she had that just. Just hit me right between the eyes was I thought I knew who to hate. And talk about a powerful revelation.

Wow.

Where did that part of the speech come from? Like, how did you know that this needs to be in there?

I'm curious, because after Jenna's execution, if you want, I can put it that way, and her family, it was really hard to believe that I lost, first of all, the Lebanon we dreamt of. And then I lost a childhood friend, a classmate, and a neighbor. And I really couldn't believe that I won't see Jana anymore. I won't have my playmate anymore, my next door playmate anymore next to me. It was really tough. And for two years, Darren, I lived in the environment because Beirut was split into two. You have the Muslim part and the Christian part. For two years, I lived in the Muslim part. And all I heard were sentences or words of revenge, hate, aggressivity, and for a Child, it's really tough to understand. You just follow in the footsteps of those adults that you believe they are the role models and that you believe that they are right 100%, especially that there were no more connection with the other at that time. So the other completely disappeared from my life. You know, at some point, the other was there on school benches. We were together like Jews, Christians, Muslims. We didn't even know who was who. And by the way, I went to a school, a nuns school, a school that was run by French nuns. And I remember that in that school, every day, the school day started with going to church. And of course, since I was Muslim and there were lots of Muslims in the school, the nuns would take permission from our parents if they would like to have their kids go into school or not. And my father's response at the time was, of course she would go there because this is the house of God. This is where the energy is. This is where we get to know the other. This is where we connect by prayer, by positive energy, by all this stuff. And all of a sudden, this shattered. All of a sudden this just disappeared with what happened to Janna and her family. And it was disastrous to think that this other that was sitting next to me on the bench yesterday, today did that horrible crime or committed that atrocity. I couldn't believe this. And of course, I heard what the adults said, and I was full of anger and hate. And I knew who to hate. I really knew at that time that the Christian is the one I should hate. And this is my enemy for life.

You know, Mark, one of the other things that stood out too, in her writing was when you pulled back the sheet and describing the scene in a way that wasn't that we got it, but it also wasn't too in your face, like we understood what was happening. But you, you said it so eloquently. I'm just curious in terms of your writing, like, have you been trained in that? What is your background? Are you just a natural?

Okay. My major was English Literature. I had a BA in English Literature and then I. I had a teaching diploma and my master's degree was in Comparative literature. So I have this passion from the beginning to literature and to writing as well. And by the way, I'm an author and I write in English. So I have two books out there. One is academic and the other is collection of short stories where also this was shocking for my community, if you want, especially the Muslim community, because those short stories are real stories based on real life events. And they are very shocking. People wouldn't expect that this is happening in a Muslim community, but I had to write this and shove it in their face, kind of wake up, this is happening.

You know, she's bold. No, Darren, I gotta comment on this because if you're not watching this, if you're just hearing this on audio, you cannot easily conceive of the grace, the dignity, the class and the mild manner attitude that Sadiqa has. She's only given you a piece of her credentials. I mean, this woman was studying Shakespeare. And I think to myself, educated, intelligent, a woman aggressive, outspoken, but also done with dignity. It goes back to your comment, Darren, about the way she revealed seeing her friend Jenna. And again, without going into detail, the story in the TEDx talk surrounds a very deep loss. And it occurred to me, out of our greatest tragedies can come some of our best stories. And you describe the childlike way in which you went through the crowd of human bodies to go to see your friend Jenna and and to realize she could not respond because her life was taken. And just the way, as Aaron said, the way you wrote that, it wasn't so much in your face at that time. Because what the speech required for that scene doesn't require harsh, aggressive, graphic depiction. It required us to see through the eyes of a 10, 11 year old girl the pain, the one, the surprise, the innocence that suddenly becomes lost when you are then taught how to hate somebody who was once the other who sat next to you and the transformation through which you go. Thanks to Uncle George, another character in your presentation was again, the impact of really good writing. So with the understanding of your background in English and writing, it makes sense to us. And it couldn't have been as easily crafted at once. I'll write it. But clearly you thought about the images you want to portray, what you want the audience to feel and to see as well. And Darren and I often teach what you want the audience to see, to feel. You want not just to only give a speech, but to give an experience. And you seem to have mastered that technique in the way you wrote the speech and the way it comes across to us as the viewer. And I found myself trying to visualize what it was like not only for you to go through a difficult experience, but to do so at such a young age. So a lesson for me and for all of us is remember, when you're doing your writing of your presentation, you want the audience not only to see and hear characters, but can they put themselves in the mindset and the framework of the characters within the context of their life. As you go watch and listen to this speech, imagine yourself 10, 11, 12 years old. And Sadiq, he did a wonderful job of bringing us there and giving us the vantage point, the perspective of a young person. Darren?

Yeah, and I like how she brilliantly did that by when her face was covered with a sheet and then she said, oh, she's playing hide and seek. Hide and seek. And that's how a child would think. Sometimes we. We write our young characters as adults because we're thinking like an adult, but just doing that from that perspective, which also sets up the absolute shock when she pulls back the sheet, having that dramatic impact. It just adds to the credibility of the storyteller as well.

Mark, thank you again. It's a very powerful story. And the technique there is very effective. And speaking of technique, and I want to ask a question here, Sadiqa, and I don't know, you said it was a culturally difficult time. When the time was right, you said, for you to deliver this message to your countrymen, help us to understand, because many of us are not familiar with Lebanon and what the culture is like there. But as a clearly intelligent and highly educated woman, to deliver a message that's so poignant to do with healing between different sects and religious groups, was that unusual to happen in Lebanon at that time, 2018, when you first delivered this, was it considered controversial, revolutionary, bold? How was it received by the people within your community?

It was a first time, yes, it was controversial and it was bold, as you said. And by the way, when I presented my speech, there was a part which was completely removed. And this is when I knew that my people were not ready to receive that part. And I agreed to remove it. And that part, by the way, is about an Israeli soldier who practically saved my father's life in 1982 when the Israeli invasion occurred in Beirut. So I had to remove this part because people were not ready simply to accept that the enemy. And it was really fit into the story because Uncle George's words were. Again, I repeat them now. When you hold God in your heart, the human he created reveals itself by serving others. And then, and only then, even your enemy becomes human. And that enemy on that day when we needed blood for my dad had God in his heart and he reacted, or he responded as a human being. And he facilitated our trip to the other end of the city to get the blood to save my dad's life. He actually drove the car, he took the wheel, and he drove us to that other hospital. Where we got the blood and drove us back, back. Because Beirut was barricaded at the time by either Palestinians or Israelis. And there was no way to get to the other side of the city unless somebody helped you do that. And there were no ambulances available because of the casualties, the number of casualties also at the time. So I had to remove this part. And it was obvious that the people were not ready. But when I delivered the story you've seen on TEDx, the response was, I can't describe it. It was amazing because everybody in that stage on that day came up to me and said, a Muslim saved my life. Another would say, a Christian saved my life. Another would say, a Druze saved my life. And all the stories were out there and I was like, for God's sake, if you want to change the history of this country, you should start telling your personal story. Or else we would be listening to his story. It's always the story of the powerful. It's always the story of the winner. It's always the story of those people. But people never hear the people's story, which should be heard. So they say history repeats itself. It's because. Because it's a one sided story. It's never the other's story. So people were encouraged and everybody was sharing the story and the atmosphere was, I cannot tell you, people started hugging each other and people started embracing each other. And then things just got rolling, you know, and there was no other anymore. The other just disappeared. It was that human being standing on one platform all of a sudden. And I really, really implemented on that day the power of storytelling and the impact of storytelling. Because when you tell your personal story and when you share a personal story, the labels just disappear. They just vanish. You're simply a human being. Like the day of your birth, that blank paper, that baby that God created and put out there without all those boxes that put you in. It's just amazing.

Mark, one of the things that I would love to bring up if I could, is the foundational phrase. So we call it the foundational phrase and usually we say ten words or fewer. But the repetitive refrain that you had during your speech was way more than 10 words, yet it was so powerful and you just said it. But I'd love you to, number one, just say it again with the pacing that you did in the speech because you just kind of blew through it right now. And it's so powerful and deserved repetition. But I also. So number one, if you could say it again, and number two, how did you design that line I would be curious because I think it would be very helpful to other people.

Okay, I'm going to repeat it first.

Take your time.

It's when you hold God in your heart. The human he created reveals itself by serving others. And then, and only then, even your enemy becomes human. And actually, I didn't have to craft that because these are the exact words of Uncle George. This is how he put it. And he would say, my little Sadiqa, my little Mary. He would use both names and he would say the sentence. And by the way, I'm preparing a book under the title of the Little girl called Mary.

The Christian name and the Christian name. Yes, Uncle George's wisdom. I hear that my wife heard the speech and said, I'm going to contact Sadiq. I want to make that statement. One of those things I remember, you know, it's just when you hold God in your heart. Oh, it starts there. And the idea of how Uncle George crafted it, you heard it over and over again. You didn't create that, but it was so powerful, you had to. Did you know then, at that young age, did you know then that this was a key to how you would live your life going forward?

Actually, no. And I mentioned this in my TEDx. I mean, at the age of 12, I mean, you wouldn't understand what the real essence of those words is, but it affected me. You know why? Because he showed the way. He didn't only say the words, but he showed the way and he led the way. So whenever there was truce or there was that peace treaty and there was no shelling and no bombing, he would take me out with him because of course, there were no school at the time. So we would go out there. And at the time, I also mentioned that we had rations for bread. We couldn't get enough bread, so we would wait in long lines, and once we would get there and get those loaves of bread, he would take me around to distribute. He wasn't the person that we got the bread, you know. And at the time, yes, it was survival. It was a time of survival where people really were. I wouldn't say selfish, but it was survival. And they kept whatever they could put their hands on to themselves and to their families. But Uncle George was no. Every day God will give us bread and will give us water and it will be there on the table, but we have to give to his people first. So we would go around and he wouldn't ask about the sect or where you come from or what your background is. And we'd Just knock on doors and we would distribute that bread and he would keep just one loaf for the family, for himself and my family, you know, and this would be repeated every time. And at the time, there was no water. The water was cut off from the houses also. We would have to stay in lines, long lines, to fill our bottles with water. And he will also help people before getting water for the family. I mean, so he showed the way, he led the way. This is why it was instilled, if you want. And of course, I got. I stayed in touch with Uncle George until he passed away, like, 12 years ago. So, yes, he wasn't only a spiritual leader, you know, and I call him spiritual. He wasn't a Christian and he wasn't a Muslim. He wasn't. He wasn't in that box. He was beyond. Yeah, I sometimes lose words in describing him because I really don't know how to describe this leader, if you want.

Sounds like he was leading by example.

Yeah, leading by example. And it was even beyond wise. It was human and godly at the same time. Do you understand what I mean? I mean, he breathed in us. God breathed from his soul within us. You know, this is how we were created. This is how we read in the. We read in the Quran that he breathed from his own soul into us to give us life. So he was the ultimate. I guess it was the godly soul that was revealed in Uncle George in some way. And then I realized that along the years, of course, not at the age of 12. Definitely.

And there was another character and another line that made me laugh in a speech like this, where you met the oldest living human being.

Yes.

And she told you. And I'm gonna just change one word for the sake of the podcast. But when she turned. So what was her name?

My Muni.

And she turned.

She passed away in April, by the way. She was 130.

Wow.

130. And she looked at you and she said, get off your butt and serve others. And how can you argue with her?

Exactly.

Oh, my gosh. But what I love about it, too, it's the essence of your message. And it's part of the speech. It's part of your story. And just. Man, there's so much in it that, Mark, you can't even argue with anything.

And the thing is, this all comes from. And I hope everyone gets this, it comes from one personal story. We have been proclaiming for years. Darren, you know my mantra. Your story. Right. No matter how you might get afraid, your life tells a story. And there's someone out there who needs to hear it. Now as I look back over the last several minutes, think about this, friends. Sadiqa told us that she stepped out and told this story and all of a sudden she discovered in that room there were Christian stories and Jewish stories and Muslim stories. But it was a story of us as a people, correct, Sadiqa?

Yes.

It was as if you became the catalyst by telling your powerful, true, unembellished story. It opened the doorway, or should I say the floodgates for others to realize I do need to tell my story because my story is a part of the history of my country. During the ups and downs, the difficult, the conflict, the peace and the power of one person story so moves so many other people there. So the challenge for all of us who are listening and watching is this what's preventing us from sharing our powerful story? Because you never know the impact that your powerful true story can and should have on your community, upon your country. And since you delivered that TEDx talk over two years ago, Sadiqa, what has been in the aftermath, the outcome, the responses, not only within Beirut and Lebanon or University of Balaman where you delivered it, but what has been the response you've received globally as a result of this?

I would like to share an experience. I was with John Maxwell on a transformational trip in Costa Rica and we were 250 coaches there to deliver something called value based leadership. So he uses this method if he wants to transform the country as a whole. So when we go there, we literally invade the country. We start training from president to the tiniest human being in the country. So we go into universities, into organizations, into ministries, into churches, into mosques, everywhere. Everybody is up to that training. So one of those days in the afternoon around 2pm I was called and usually we don't know where we're going. We discover when we get there. So there is somebody, a driver that picks us up and we go to the training where we should be going. So on that day I was called and I held my file and I was waiting for my driver. I felt because they speak Spanish in Costa Rica, I felt that there was something wrong with the body language, even with the tone of voice, you know, with the organizers on the ground. Then my translator after 10 minutes come comes up to me and she says, sadiqa, please take a seat because your driver is not yet here. I said, okay. And then there was this American, black American woman called Anna who comes up to me and she says, sadiqa, I'm going to Be transparent with you. There was kind of, if you want confusion about if you should go to that training or not, but because this training is happening in a church and the organizer felt that you won't be the right person to deliver that training since you're a Muslim and you're covered as well. So I was chosen to take your place and to deliver that training. And it was like, ana, I'm going to that place, I'm going to the church. I'm going to deliver that training, because you don't know where I come from. And Anna said, are you sure? Are you really sure you want to do that? Would you feel comfortable? I told her 100%. And then guess who the driver was. The driver was the priest himself. He came all the way. It took him two hours to come to pick me up. And it will take us two other hours and two other hours to bring me back to the hotel. So it was the priest and. And I had the priest driving. And in the back there was Anna, my translator, and somebody who accompanied the priest as well. So Anna was repeating sadiqa, if you really don't feel comfortable, please let me do that. And then I told her, I'm going to tell you a story now. Listen carefully to what I'm going to say. And of course, I told Uncle George's story. And I had everybody in tears. The priest was crying, Anna was crying, the translator was crying, the person in the back was crying. When we arrived to the area where we should deliver the training, we arrived a bit earlier. So the priest took us to a hotel, a resort, to have coffee. And you won't believe what happened when I was sitting there having coffee. By the way, I love dogs and I attract dogs. I don't know how I track dogs. So there was this man walking his dog, and then the dog comes up to me. I play with the dog and then I ask him, what's the dog's name? And guess what the dog's name was. George.

Wow. That's a story in itself.

Yes. And I go to the church and I deliver the training, and then the priest tells my story in the church. And there were one hundred and fifty people there. And the 150 came up to me and they said, thank you for breaking that stereotype of a Muslim.

Wow.

And it was so powerful. And by the time I got back to my hotel, the story reached John Maxwell. And I was asked in the gala dinner to deliver the story of Uncle George. And the power of that story is just amazing. And I mean Nobody looks at me like a Muslim. You know, there are no barriers anymore. Everybody see the human behind my physical appearance, if you want. And many people and John Maxwell and the team, you know, Maxwell is his background. He was a priest.

Christian minister. Yes, he was a pastor.

Pastor. So most people who attend his confidences or accompany him are priests. And many come up to me and they say, how did you discover John? How did you know about John? And I'm really honest. It was Google. I was looking for the best leadership program, and it was just Google who led me to John. And then the second question always is, did you know about John's background? Do you know that he was a priest? And my answer is always, I'm here because John is a person of faith, and people of faith don't fear people of faith.

Wow.

What a statement. And I. I have a favor to ask in the form of a question only if this is true, you are a toastmaster as well or have been in the past, correct?

No, I'm still a toastmaster.

So there are many people who are Toastmasters who listen. There are professional speakers. There are pastors who listen to this podcast. So I would love you because, Mark, I got an email earlier this week with someone who is so adamant about the contest, the speech contest. And I was like, please think beyond the contest. Hey, go ahead and compete, but then take your message and bring it to another stage. And you've competed with part of this speech. Correct. But then you've also gone and given it TEDx as well, which obviously it's powerful or you wouldn't even be here with us. And we're thrilled to have you because this is such a different.

I'm thrilled to be here, too, but.

You'Ve earned it because of your story and because of your message. So what would you tell to a toastmaster who's just looking at telling their story in a competition to compete? How would you inspire them?

Yeah, I would say they're putting themselves in the box again. And this is what I'm trying to. If you want, get out there as well, don't put yourselves in boxes. You are way bigger beyond those boxes. Whether it's a toastmaster box or a religious box or a political box or any erase box or anything, we are beyond that. Toastmasters is an amazing journey. It teaches us lots of skills, lots of techniques, and it gives confidence. It's a space where. It's a very safe place where you can practice when you can learn, learn and use this to grow as a speaker and a storyteller. I mean, the contest is something, it's just a title. And usually titles, they really limit you, especially if you are seeking that title. And if you are seeking that title, this is where you stay. This is where you're gonna be all your life.

Amen.

I guess you and Mark has gone beyond this. Way beyond this.

Well, it's a thrill to have you here. Did you always know you wanted to be a speaker or you speaking to convey George's story?

I'm very passionate about speaking. And teaching was, by the way, my first, if you want, step towards speaking, speaking, because I just love speaking. I have this passion and it's actually my students who introduced me to toastmasters. Miss, you have to go and meet those people. You have to come with us to that club. And this is how I got hooked to it. So it has been my passion always.

I'm curious two questions for you very quickly. One is you said has been my passion always. Did that become a passion shortly after your experience at age 12 in Beirut or when you became through university and saw that speaking was a vehicle to tell your story? When did that really begin?

Okay, let me tell you something about Sadiqa, the child. If you want you can say I was kind of an introvert for a long time. For first of all, I was bullied for my name because my name is my grandmother's name and it's an old fashioned name if you want, I was bullied for that. Plus I was, I can say at home as father and mother, I was the go between used as a go between and I was physically abused. So this turned me into an introvert. Uncle George was the one who led me to the light at the end of the tunnel. And serving others had become my haven. After meeting Uncle George and stay staying with him for a while and learning from him, I mean, at the age of 14, I was in the Red Cross. I volunteered and I started volunteering ever since in serving others. And this is how I found Sadiqa and this is how I found my voice. And this is how I found who I really were and still am. So he was the one who showed me also the light at the end of the tunnel through serving others and helping others. And believe me, while working with the Red Cross, I've seen atrocities. And this is also what helped me embrace what happened to Jana in some way because I saw it happening to the other as well. It wasn't only that I learned to overcome this without experiencing and it was visual, it was there every day. And I saw what the Muslim did to the Christian. And I saw what the Christian did to the Muslim, and I saw what the Muslim did to the Jew and what the Christian, the Palestinian. I saw it from all its facets. And this is what brought me to speak as well. This is what pushed me to speak. Because at the end of the day, we have to see the human being behind all those labels.

Wow. I'm trying to compose myself here because at 14, to begin to see the world in such harsh truth, but yet, because of Uncle George, you decide service through what you do, and now service through what you say becomes your gift to the world. And having this desire to speak, were there any particular speakers who you looked at as examples? Or who were the speakers who you believe delivered unforgettable presentations that inspired you even, even more to be a speaker yourself?

Well, you two are one of those speakers, by the way. And I really love each and every single champion, Toastmaster Champion, because each one of you has shown a different style and a different technique and presented a different, totally different presentation. So we have a diversity, a full diversity in the Toastmaster Masters community itself. And there are other speakers also. Simon Sinek is one of my favorites, and John Maxwell himself. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. This. He's my friend. This is how he presents himself, and I love to call him my friend. He speaks, I mean, for hours. And you have a story after story after a story revealing itself on that stage. And he is really, really powerful in doing this. So, yes, I hope.

I hope Sadiqa, and I say this with all sincerity, I hope you're not surprised. You will not be surprised to find that there are individuals who will say, wow, Sadiqa is my hero. For what you're. I'm serious, for your story, for your technique, the way you wrote your presentation, the way you crafted the story, the imagery, the techniques that you applied. You probably have several young people who are new toastmasters who are getting to. Getting to know you. If you had a moment to give one bit of advice to somebody who is just starting out speaking, drawn from your experience from 12 years old until now, all you've done with leadership and lecturing, all that, what simple or initial advice might you want to offer someone who wants to begin this journey of speaking?

Have the courage to tell your story. Have the courage to be vulnerable.

Bam. Love it.

Have the courage to be vulnerable. This vulnerability brings you closer to your audience. You get to their hearts, you touch their hearts, and. And this is where you remain, you know, and now I'm going to be taking a challenge very soon. I'm starting this in two weeks. I have been offered the chance to give a voice to a community in Lebanon who doesn't have a voice. And I'm going to be the one who will share their stories because they're not willing yet to share their stories. But I'm gonna take that community on the trip of storytelling, and I hope they would do that. But it's gonna start with me telling their stories. And that community is the LGBT community in Lebanon and the transgender. And I'm gonna. I have the honor to serve them. In two weeks, I'm going to be speaking for them because they need to have the chance to be treated as human beings. And I repeat that we should remove all those labels. It's enough. It's time for us to transform the world.

I must ask one more before I let Darren ask his question. Is there a risk in being as bold? You said earlier to be bold. Is there a risk for you as a presenter, as a woman, as an academic, to cross that quote, unquote line and barrier and to be the voice to those who have none? Is there a risk in doing that?

Well, I don't think so, because, you know, there is no law in Lebanon that incriminates this community. But it's only a matter of society that bullies them, refuses to accept them, to embrace them and this stuff. But as concerning laws or government or whatever, there's no risk whatsoever. Religiously speaking, I don't give a damn.

Sorry.

Because they put religion in a box again. And this is not God what they're talking about. It's not the God I know. The God I know is full of mercy, full of compassion. And he created those beings, so he is there for them, like for any other being in the world. So.

Sadiqa, if people wanted to reach out to you and connect with you, if you're listening to this, please go hear the speech that we're talking about. Go look it up on TEDx when your enemy becomes human. But how would somebody connect with you or follow you? What would you suggest?

Okay, so I'm on all social media, media platforms. I'm on LinkedIn, on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. I'm there. I have a website as well, www.sadiqakebi.com.

Can you spell that for people listening?

Yes. So my name is spelled S A D I K A. And then my family name is Kebi K E W I.

Excellent.

Okay. So they can reach out very easily.

Excellent. Mark, any other thoughts or what do we have for keepers.

Wow. It is hard to make my keepers purely academic today because there's so much wisdom that has poured forth from her mouth that I really. I'm a bit overwhelmed. They say I'm verklempt. I guess, if you're Jewish. Right. But the first keeper I have came very early in our conversation when Sadiqa said the message had been bubbling inside. And what inspired me was this. If the message is bubbling inside, it might be time to bring it out. Just a thought, but I'll be careful. When it is time, be ready to share the message. Okay, technical piece. When depicting characters, including younger characters, write from the perspective of the character's demographic. As Darren says, don't write as an adult. From an 11 year old perspective. Okay. From the story of the Israeli soldier. Respond as a human being. Not based upon your demographic. Respond as a human. Find your voice in serving others. Start telling your personal story. It changed the history of your country. I like this one too. When you share, the labels disappear. When you share, the labels disappear. Don't just say the words. Show the way. So we can say it, but we must also show it. Don't put yourself in a box. A title can limit you. What do you have to offer to the world? Her two words of wisdom for those starting out. Have the courage to be vulnerable. Have the courage to tell your story. And when you can, be the voice for those who have no voice.

Wow.

Keepers that I got. If you have more, Darren, please share them as well.

I just want to remind people, like the line that just struck me. I thought I knew who to hate and I think a lot of us grow up and we learn, just like you were saying, the example in your speech, we learn from the adults around us and sometimes we don't really understand or go deep enough into the wisdom of what truth is.

Thank you. I want to ask Sadiqa, I know I'm going to break protocol, but just one more time. Sadiqa.

I was going to have her in that way too. Perfect.

Okay, go ahead.

So first I just want to say that you're my hero. I am a huge fan. Thank you for being who you are and then being.

You don't know how much this means to me. You really don't know how much this means to me.

Well, it's the truth. It's the truth. Seriously, I mean, to take your story that deep and help people and Mark, my favorite part of this interview has been hearing how people react and who were in the room at the TEDx speech where they all came but they all heard a message for who they were and who they were hating and now that's all gone. To dissolve that in a 14 minute speech. Wow. So Sadiqa, if you could do us the honor and give us the words of George one more time.

When you hold God in your heart, the human he created reveals itself by serving others. And then and only then even your enemy becomes human.

Wow.

Thank you. We'll see you all next week.

Thank you so much. Thank you.

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