When I Said Nothing: The Importance of Public Speaking by Abbas

When I Said Nothing: The Importance of Public Speaking by Abbas - April 2026 Scholarship Essay

My uncle was talking about a hospital in Iraq that had run out of basic supplies. He said it like it was normal. My parents nodded. Someone reached for more food. The conversation moved on.

I remember sitting there, replaying what he said in my head. I wanted to say something. Even just ask a question. But I didn’t. I stayed quiet because I didn’t know how to turn what I was thinking into something that would matter to anyone else at the table.

That moment has stayed with me. I’ve grown up hearing about places like Iran and Iraq through my family, not through the news. When people talk about healthcare or conflict, I don’t think in general terms. I think about real people I’m connected to. But when I try to explain that to others, my words don’t come out the way I want. I either overthink it or say nothing at all.

That’s why I want to get better at public speaking. Not just to sound confident, but to actually communicate something real. I want to be able to take what I’ve heard at that table and explain it in a way that makes someone else stop and care, even if they have no connection to it.

Right now, that’s the hardest part for me. I care a lot, but caring isn’t the same as being able to speak. I’ve felt my voice shake even in small class discussions. Sometimes I second guess what I’m about to say and just let someone else talk instead.

To change that, I need practice in situations where I can’t stay silent. I plan to join Model UN or speech and debate so I’m forced to think out loud and respond in the moment. I know I won’t be good at it right away. I’ll probably stumble over my words at first. But that’s part of it.

Outside of school, I want to work with organizations that focus on humanitarian issues. I don’t just want to talk about problems. I want to understand how people actually get others to listen and take action. That’s something I’ve never really learned, and I know I need to.

Most of this will come down to repetition. Speaking up even when I’m not fully confident. Saying something instead of nothing. Getting used to hearing my own voice in situations where I would normally stay quiet.

I still think about that dinner. Not because of what my uncle said, but because I said nothing. I don’t want that to keep happening. The next time a conversation like that comes up, I want to be ready to speak. Not perfectly, but at least enough to be heard.