One year ago, I said yes to my very first public speaking engagement outside of being an instructor at Paint & Sip Uganda.
At first glance, it may not seem like a huge moment. But for me, it was deeply personal.
As a child, I struggled badly with stuttering. Speaking in front of people felt terrifying. Even as I got older, that fear never fully disappeared. I still stutter sometimes. I still overthink my words. I still reread presentations too many times before speaking.
So standing on a stage that day at the Dangala Club event in Kampala meant more to me than most people probably realized.
I remember sitting there before the event started, nervously going through my presentation over and over again while my family and friends waited nearby. Meanwhile, my niece kept interrupting me every few minutes like my tiny emotional support assistant — which honestly helped more than she knows. ?
The topic of my talk was:
“Picasso Got Paid. Why Can’t You?”
During the presentation, I shared the famous story of Pablo Picasso sketching on a napkin. A man questioned why Picasso charged so much for a drawing that only took a few minutes to create. Picasso replied that it may have taken five minutes to draw, but it took a lifetime to learn how to draw it that way.
That story changed how I viewed art, value, and creativity.
As artists, we do not simply charge for the final piece. We charge for the years of practice, failure, discipline, imagination, emotional labor, courage, and consistency behind it.
For so long, society romanticized the idea of the “starving artist.” But I believe artists deserve to thrive. Creativity has value. Stories have value. Vision has value.
And honestly, that day changed something in me too.
It was the first time I truly saw myself not just as a painter or entrepreneur… but also as a speaker.
I felt incredibly honored to be part of such a beautiful event, surrounded by supportive people who listened so warmly and encouraged me throughout the experience.
And then came one of my favorite moments of the entire evening: right after my speech, my family surprised me with a bouquet of flowers. ??
I answered a few more questions from the audience, carried my niece on stage one last time, took photos with my loved ones, and just like that… my very first speaking engagement was over.
Looking back now, one year later, I still cannot believe I did it.
But maybe that is the beauty of growth.
Sometimes God will use the very thing that once made you insecure… to become part of your purpose.
A girl who used to stutter became a speaker.
Isn’t God great?
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