2020 is an unprecedented year with change and adapting to the new being key features for all of us. This year Jack Petchey’s “Speak Out” Challenge! Will not take place at Cambridge Theatre, instead we are live streaming with pre-recording speeches broadcast from a London film studio on Tuesday 1st December.

From the 20,000 young people who took part in the “Speak Out” Challenge! this year, we are thrilled to announce this year’s Grand Finalists, some of whom became Regional Champions and some Digital Final Champions. In no particular order, please meet the first of our Grand Finalists.

We are delighted to share our thirteenth Grand Finalists, congratulations Mia Tharia. 

Representing Chestnut Grove Academy at the Wandsworth Regional Final, Mia won with a speech titled ‘Warrior, not worrier’. 

We asked Mia, how would you like people to think / act differently from hearing your story?

“After hearing my story, I’d like people to be more at ease with the complexity of human beings, including themselves. It’s very easy to decide who somebody is, rather than try to understand who they are.”

If you could make one change in the world what would it be?

“Let’s just say some of them government people would be out of a job!”

Do you have a favourite saying or quote and why?

““Different things can be sad, it’s not all war” – from the film Lady Bird (2017).

I like this quote because it’s said with childlike simpleness, but has a lot of depth. It’s a reminder that pain is relative, and personal pain is valid too.”

Help these messages reach more people. Join us at the Grand Final. Register now for this free event using the link below.

https://grandfinal.online