 I was gay at a time when it wasn't readily accepted. And I had Tourette's syndrome at a time when it wasn't easily understood. It was a lot of baggage for this young kid. But Ms. Surratt had a way of seeing beyond the surface, into my soul, really. She is a large part of the reason I am a broadcaster and a storyteller. In 2022, Ms. Surratt was inducted into the National Speech and Debate Hall of Fame.