With emphasis on public speaking as a means for social justice, Empowering Public Speaking helps students develop the communication skills necessary to successfully effect change. Readers learn about public speaking as a means of personal, social, economic, and cultural power, and how communication shapes social relations, identity development, and public awareness. Through examples and discussions, the book demonstrates how public speaking is a significant act that inspires social transformation.

Over the course of 12 chapters, students learn how communication creates our social reality and shapes interpersonal relationships. They discover the importance of critical, compassionate listening, careful attention to power, and adapting speeches to a specific time, place, and purpose. Dedicated chapters address the craft required for effective public speaking, the responsibility of finding and sharing reputable sources of information, and strategies for delivering an impassioned address. The closing chapters discuss speaker accountability, the constant evolution of public speaking, and its ability to empower.