A Celebration of Martin Luther King's Legacy, January 2020
I was fortunate to have been able to present at the Martin Luther King Voice4Youth finals on Jan 19th, 2020. The MLK Voice 4Youth provides a platform for Delaware's youth to voice their thoughts and opinions about social change and injustice. The writing and speech workshop was not only instrumental in improving our oratory skills but also introduced me to diverse perspectives regarding some of the most pressing issues facing our society today.
The MLK Voice 4Youth contest brings the youth of Delaware together to discuss what is important to them as individuals. Our mentors encouraged us to voice our inner most thoughts regardless of how difficult or awkward the conversations became... and our conversations definitely did take a turn for the more contentious as objections were voiced and differing perspectives were addressed. It certainly makes an interesting picture to see a group a teenagers sitting at a table having pizza while casually conversing about the drug epidemic and education reform. The mentors also guided us through the process of presenting written work, be it in poem format, oratory or as hip hop. It is amazing to actually hear how many different ways a single quote can be expressed! The workshop definitely gave me a lot to think about and the next couple of months consisted mainly of practice.
I spent almost every evening memorizing, practicing and modifying the speech till the day before semifinals. Semifinal morning at my house was busy and slightly chaotic as I rushed to finish homework, get ready, pack snacks, water and makeup. We finally did manage to leave the house and that too on time, however, on our way to the competition we unfortunately met with an accident; a head-on deer collision to be precise.
My uncle attempted to stop the car as he saw the approaching deer, but to no avail. I remember the sound of the windshield shattering as our car collided with the deer. Although we had to dust remnants of shattered glass off our clothes, thankfully no one was injured. My mom requested a passerby to drop me at the competition so I would not miss registration, while my uncle stayed with the car. I was incredibly grateful for the kindness shown by Ms. Renee and her family to complete strangers at the time. Had it not been for her, I might not have ever made it to the semifinals on time. We later found out that Miss Renee actually knew our neighbors, the benefits of living in Delaware! Her kindness will always inspire me to act with the same compassion that she had shown my family that day.
On my way to the venue, I was trying to compartmentalize my thoughts about my uncle who was still with the car, my worry over my mom's stress levels and my nervousness about the actual competition. Miss Jane, the organizer of MLK Voice4 Youth, provided reassurance to all of the contestants. She seemed more confident in our abilities than we were at the time, giving all of us hugs and saying “you will do great". I eventually did compete and managed to get through the speech without any blatant mistakes. The semifinals were not incredibly nerve wracking as one only needed to present in front of the judges for five minutes and then could leave, and refuse to think about the performance till the phone call regarding selection as a finalist came through! On the call, I remember feeling numb and barely managing to say anything other than "Thank you" repeatedly! Although this was incredibly exciting for me and my family, it also meant more practice. I practiced every day, twice a day and I can probably give the speech in my dreams now.
At the finals hosted at the Baby Grand, I had the opportunity to meet my fellow contestants and finalists. The backstage of the Baby Grand was abuzz with energy as the organizers rushed to conduct sound checks, take pictures of contestants etc. On the other hand, the younger generation sat back in the dressing room and snacked on cookies and croissants till we were instructed to come on stage. I had the opportunity to hear all of the incredible presentations of my fellow finalists. Each speech was unique in style and content, and provided a fresh perspective of social injustice in today's society. Each and every single of one us on stage had our own story to share, and experiences to narrate; and this competition provided us the perfect opportunity to express our opinions. The most important thing was that all of us learned from each other seated on the stage of the Baby Grand. Although, the passion and the excitement remained palpable, we were a lot more relaxed following our presentations as we waited for the results of the contest to be announced, while snacking on cookies!
Eventually the results were announced, and although I was incredibly elated when I was announced as the second place winner, I had a slight problem holding the gigantic check I was presented with - it was taller than me! While I was and still am very excited for being recognized with the second place, I must emphasize that the reason I decided to participate in the competition was to share my view of racism and challenges that I have observed and felt from my perspective. We live in a complex world, in ways not too different from Dr.King's. We hear so many versions of the truth and so I set about trying to find out for myself where we stood. What I found most interesting as I researched all the comparative numbers for my speech (between the 60s and today), is that Dr.King's message is as relevant today as it was then. There remains the need for hope, as well as the need for continued action.
I have posted below the link for my speech:
YWCA Link to MLK event:
