The Toastmasters Epitaph

Toastmasters Mission Statement

We, the Toastmasters of North Carolina’s Death Row: Strive to be better than the vitriol that has defined our societal displacement.  Our collective voice will exude the elocution of various races, religions, and regions – harmoniously refusing to be impeded by the walls of incarceration.

Written by:

Leroy E. Mann

The Toastmasters Epitaph

Hotep,

I was assigned the role of Toastmaster when the above words came to me.  I recall feeling the need to be a proper host/mc to such a monumental gathering.

According to the protocol/ role instruction handout, the Toastmaster is obligated to begin each meeting with the recitation of the group mission statement therefore, if someone has to ask, ‘why does North Carolina’s death row have a Toastmasters group in the first place?'  Our mission statement should more than resolve their skepticism.

What is a Toastmaster?

I personally had no clue until January of 2017.  In the 6 months since our first session, I have grown confident in the public speaking and speech writing of some of the men who share in this plight of facing the proverbial gallows, years prior to meeting the noose that is designed to relieve you of all awareness.

My personal journey with elocution has involved 7-10 minute prepared speeches of various topics: LAST MEAL (Ice breaker speech) DELIVERING THE DEATH BLOW (Statistical speech), JOIN THE RIDE (After dinner speech).

Each week possesses a different vibe from the last.  The roles of President, Toastmaster, Ah-Counter, Grammarian, Timer, General Evaluator, Topic Master and two speakers (prepared speeches), are selected through a lottery system created by the group’s Sergeant-At-Arms (holla if ya hear me, Ms. Barker).  These roles are interchangeable from week-to-week, which means no meeting  is predictable.

Our sessions grow in suspense when the Topic Master presents a particular topic, then randomly chooses three impromptu speakers to discuss the topic for the duration of 2-3 minutes.  Speaking ‘off the cuff’ is a great exercise for public speaking.  Throughout the process, you have the Grammarian analyzing the diction of each speaker, as well as, noting the usage of the word of the day (Grammarian’s selection).

At the same time, the Ah-Counter is tallying the number of times a speaker may use crutch-fillers such as, ‘um,’ ‘ah,’ ‘like,’ and ‘so.’ The Ah-Counter is also required to note the ever-dreaded, ‘pregnant pause’ (the extended space between a speaker’s words due to uncertainty).  This is progress beyond belief; death row prisoners finding their voice through the art of public speaking.  It gives me every reason to look forward to next semester.

Unfortunately, ‘next semester’ may not happen.  The unit manager has made it his personal mission to silence the voices of Toastmasters, and conclude other programs made available to death row prisoners for the past three years.  This unit manager seems to believe that no good can come from death row prisoners improving their public speaking skills.

A great public speaker by the name of Frederick Douglas once said: “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.  Those who profess to favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation are people who want crops without plowing up the ground.  The want rain without thunder and lightening.”

In the past, we have been poorly represented when the television cameras, and journalist’s recorders have provided a platform that can potentially lessen the proximity between redeemable beings and a misinformed free society.  Some of us choose to be better than the mistakes that define our past for this reason, Toastmasters is a necessity.

The unit manager spews words that may kill a productive program, but from a Toastmaster’s standpoint: my words are worth dying for, ya heard?

Always 100,

MannofStat

Copyright © 2017 by Leroy Elwood Mann