Oratorical contest to honor Dr. King, promote social change

UCLA and Los Angeles Unified School District students will speak at the 20th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Oratorical contest on Jan. 24 in hopes of motivating students to participate in social change.

Sponsored by the Office of Residential Life, Ujima Village, and the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, the contest will take place at 7 p.m. in the Northwest Auditorium. Four UCLA and four high school students will address the theme, “In need of a dreamer … dare to dream.”

Speeches will address different social issues ranging from voting to migrant farm workers in Central America.

Stephen Rice, the resident director for Dykstra Hall and an organizer of the event, said he hopes the speeches will give people the sense of urgency for change that people felt, for example, during the Civil Rights Movement or the Vietnam War.

“Many people have become complacent because they have seen changes made. But we are still in the struggle for social justice. These speeches are a reminder that people need to take action,” Rice said.

People are motivated most strongly by their peers, Rice said, and that is why the speeches are so powerful.

“It’s great that the speakers are all roughly our age, because they are talking about various issues that are applicable to us,” said Avani Oswal, a third-year business-economics student on the planning committee.

Speakers were chosen based on the content, style and length of their speeches, the speeches’ relation to the theme, and the overall impressions they made on the judges. Those who judged included faculty in residence and officials from the Office of the Dean of Students and the Office of Residential Life.

Rice said he hopes the speeches will challenge people to make a change. “The contest gives people a chance to talk about what (they are) passionate about and motivate others to fight for social justice,” he said.

For the first time, social justice groups will be present at the end of the event, so students can have an opportunity to immediately become involved with groups on campus promoting change.

“After being inspired by the speeches, we want to give people the chance to act and do something,” said Tina De Giso, a fourth-year neuroscience student and member of the planning committee. The event will also include performances by Bruin Harmony and UCLA Gospel.

“It’s a really good program. People can not only be entertained, but be inspired,” De Giso said.

Rice said high school students’ participation in the contest gives UCLA students another perspective on the issues, and allows high school students an opportunity to explore UCLA and step onto a college campus.

Several past high school speakers are now Bruins.

“The addition of the high school students to the contest benefits both high school and UCLA students,” Rice said, adding that the event is a great way to honor King’s legacy and to remind people that “the dream is not over.

“The oratorical contest is a wonderful way for students to be exposed to others points of view on important issues,” Rice said.

Oswal said the event is a great way to remind people they can make a difference in their community.

“It’s inspiring to see young generations take a stand against the problems we are facing.”

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