Commencement Keynote. “Resiliency Endeavors Excellence.”

By Kiran Singh Sirah
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It’s been quite an international week, engaging in discussions on story and narrative change for various peace initiatives with colleagues and justice activists in cities across Australia, Europe, and North America. I've had the pleasure of connecting with some of my favorite rabble rousers at Appalshop and the wonderful folks at Welcome America. However, a special highlight this week was the opportunity to present at an international celebration much closer to home, right here in my base of Johnson City, Tennessee.
 
Last night, I was honored to deliver the keynote celebration speech for graduating students of the Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center on the theme of “Resiliency Endeavors Excellence.” I aimed to inspire but also offer practical tips and ideas they could use. I condensed my storyteller’s journey talk and training into a 30-minute keynote, outlining five actionable steps to transform personal origin narratives into stories that evolve possibilities from imagination to reality, for the world they envision.
 
The essence of this talk centered on the idea that when we share a story, we may not fully grasp its impact on others, but that doesn’t diminish its significance. Stories are living things that shape our understanding and motivate us to take action. Storytelling, much like peacebuilding, is a broad and nebulous movement to which we can all contribute and benefit from. We don’t have to strive to change everything ( or end all wars) all at once; each of us can contribute a little each day to make our communities better places to live. If a story moves your heart, it's likely to move others' hearts too.
 
I hope my message resonated!
 
Following my speech, I was grateful to sit among cheering family members and friends, witnessing around 200 students walk the stage and be inducted into the Diversity Scholars Society. Each graduate wore a multicultural stole symbolizing inclusiveness of ethnicities, races, cultures, and the values of the Center. I especially enjoyed the post-ceremony celebrations, listening and learning through one-to-one conversations, about the next chapters of their storied journeys.
 
Photos thanks to Charlie Walden.