Standing on stage is an experience.
For several years, when I was invited to speak at larger events, I loathed the stage. Standing above everyone, the center of attention. (I know some of you may not see the introvert in me, but she takes up a lot of space.) I found ways to move through the space, walk through the audience, speak to people just a bit more informally… more like the “real-world” Susie. Added bonus, no fear of falling off the stage if you never step on it.
Then one day, I was forced to stand on stage. The audience was too large, and I didn’t have a choice. Something switched on inside me, and I tapped into this authoritative voice. I held the room, kept their eyes on my movement, and shared my insights. It felt good.
Afterward, quite a few folks came up and gave me a lot of positive feedback. I was floating on the compliments. As I was walking down the event halls a little later, a woman came up to me and said, “I really liked what you said, but I just couldn’t be friends with you. You’re a lot.” I laughed and briefly nodded. Acknowledging that not everyone is how they seem on stage.
No matter what you see in someone, it’s not always the whole picture.
Sometimes stepping on stage takes a level of courage you hadn’t considered before. There are micro-decisions that happen over time to lead someone to finding themselves ready to take that leap. Even once they’ve made the choice to put themself in the public eye, they will be misunderstood or misinterpreted.
My work in the lived experience space has allowed me to tap into parts of myself that are not always welcomed to “traditional” stages. Lived experience speeches are my favorite to craft. I get to blend my passion, my personality, and my expertise and weave memorable stories that leave audiences considering more than just what I said on stage. Lived experience conversations are connective, renewing, and thick with thought. Of all the speeches I get to craft and deliver, these are the kinds I love the most.
In a few weeks, I will return to my birthplace and take to the stage to open the Lived Experience Collective’s (LEC) conference. I get to share practical approaches to ensuring people with lived experience are measurably included in any effort that aims to serve them. I will share success stories and how immeasurably beneficial these practices are at an organizational and individual level. More than that, though, I get to stand on stage, fully myself in a space where I am seen.
If you are able, I hope you will join this event. Not just because you’ll get to see me on stage, but because you will have a chance to find a deeper community. We all just want to be seen, as we are – whether we are standing on stage or sitting across the table from someone we hope to connect with.
Deep thanks to Sally, Rochelle, Erin and all the folks at the LEC for inviting me to open this space this year.
More about the event:
We’re gathering a powerhouse community of lived and living experience leaders to move the field from “awareness” to action.
Join us at the Lived Experience Collective Convening (and come early for our pre-conference Storytelling Retreat), October 24 & 25 in Colorado Springs.
Our featured speaker, Susie Reynolds Reece, will help us translate courage into strategy: centering lived experience, building safer systems, and telling stories that heal (not harm). If you’ve lost someone to suicide, lived through a crisis yourself, cared for a loved one, or you’re a partner organization committed to meaningful collaboration, this is for you.
What you’ll gain:
*Practical frameworks to co-design programs with lived experience leaders
*Safer storytelling skills that increase connection and healing
*A supportive network that opens doors to real-world impact
Come learn, connect, and leave with tools you can use right away!
Register now for the Convening and the Storytelling Retreat (Oct 24 & 25): https://www.unitesurvivors.com/lived-experience-collective
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