Talking Points

Mayor Brandon Johnson required a speech to deliver to asylum seekers, refugee athletes, and other Chicagoans for the city's 2023 Refugee World Cup that would help attendees feel welcome and safe. 

Focusing on combining the themes of hope and community while writing in Johnson’s voice, I drew on my experience with solo performance scriptwriting, as well as a wealth of city government knowledge from over a year in the mayor’s office.  

The product was a well-received speech read word-for-word by the mayor that highlights my skills in storytelling, tone, and audience engagement. From this experience, I learned about addressing refugee communities. As with any engaging story, emotional connection with an audience can mean the difference between negative and positive reception. Because I identified shared values between Johnson and refugee communities, the communication was authentic and welcoming.