ABSTRACT
Well-honed public speaking skills contribute to a more equitable society and remain an important tool for advocating for social change, articulating positions, sharing beliefs, building relationships, and advancing professionally. Drawing from instructional communication, interdisciplinary social justice, and communication education scholarship, this chapter highlights how diversity, equity, access, and inclusion can be embedded in the practice of public speaking and how topics related to social class, gender, race, and other identities impact communication, academic success, and connection to course material. This chapter 1) positions public speaking as a tool for inclusion and advocacy, 2) explores current inclusive practices for teaching public speaking, 3) examines how socio-political movements and historic events inform contemporary public speaking practices, and 4) addresses the future of public speaking.
