​Launched in June 2014 and based in Washington, D.C., "The Speak Up Initiative" aims to bring free public speaking education to middle schools in the area and to inner city schools across the U.S. Currently, there are Speak Up representatives in 9 cities in addition to Washington, D.C.: Houston, TX; Long Island, NY; New York City, NY; Kansas City, MO; Miami, FL; Lexington, MA; San Francisco, CA; San Diego, CA; Raleigh, NC.