One student spoke of traveling the road not taken, pushing for
equality in California’s educational system, and standing up
against homophobia and the government’s abuses of civil
rights.
Another student followed by praising Rosa Parks and the power of
the individual, while yet another student remembered Martin Luther
King, Jr.’s legacy of spirituality and determination to fight
against injustice.
“Passive tolerance does not solve problems that require
action,” said first-year undeclared student Kai
Pottenger.
The student orators, from both UCLA and Washington Preparatory
High School, were competing in the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Oratorical Contest in the Northwest Auditorium on Thursday night,
an annual tradition for the past 17 years.
“Each of us as individuals have the ability to make change
and make our society better,” said Dagan Josephson, a
second-year economics and political science student and a Daily
Bruin writer.
Lamar Jackson, an 18-year-old senior at Washington Preparatory
High School, was the winner of the contest’s high school
category. His speech focused on his own definition of living
““ not only paying attention to material goods and money, but
staying aware of local violence, injustice and disease within the
community. Jackson said it is possible to motivate one person by
speaking to them individually, but that speeches and oration are
special and important to motivate crowds and groups.
Kirk White, a residential director and one of the organizers of
the contest, said the opportunity to compete is a way for UCLA to
build ties to the Los Angeles community and find leaders through
nontraditional avenues.
The people who compete are usually not the leaders who have
chosen to be a resident or program assistant in the dorms, White
said.
“They’re motivated to do this because they have
something to say,” he said.
Linda Chu, a first-year political science and international
development studies student, won in the college category after
addressing inequity in the education system, alleged abuses by the
Homeland Security Department and the death of Matthew Shephard.
The contest began in 1987 and was first held in the Rieber Hall
fireside lounge. This year, 12 UCLA students entered the contest
and a selection committee narrowed the field to three college
finalists and three students from the high school category.
“King is not just a holiday,” said Eric Rollerson,
assistant director in the Office of Residential Life. The goal of
the contest is for students to celebrate Dr. King and to learn
about his work and legacy, Rollerson said, noting that the
contestants had included historical facts about King in their
speeches. In addition to remembering King’s life and work,
the students were also continuing a tradition of black oration
““ a skill King used to motivate and inspire communities in
his fight for civil rights.
“Most African American leaders have been known for their
eloquence as speakers,” said Saul Williams, a Los Angeles
spoken-word poet and musician, in an interview last week. “It
still remains to be true that (King) is one of the most important
American figures that we can point to in recent history. America
would not be able to live up to its name without his
dream.”
King, a Baptist minister, often used his speaking skills in
churches and demonstrations. But the tradition of black oration
long precedes King and the church.
“The spoken word has been a part of African American
culture from the days of the griot,” said M.K. Asante, the
editor in chief of Nommo, a filmmaker and a spoken-word poet and
author.
A griot, a traditional west African storyteller, tells the story
of villages and families through music and other forms of the
spoken word.
“We see elements of the griot in the black church. … We
see elements of the griot in political figures. It’s kind of
a staple to black life,” Asante said. “I know that I am
a custodian of this tradition; I am not the originator and I am not
the end of it. I am just a custodian maintaining this tradition and
continuing this tradition.”
“No matter how smart you are … you need to be able to
orate. It’s an essential way to reach people,” Asante
said.
Oration has taken form in rap, spoken word poetry and hip-hop,
and emceeing. In addition to speeches, Thursday’s contest
featured a spoken-word poetry performance and UCLA’s Gospel
Choir.
The spoken-word artist, third-year student Mandel Lum, addressed
similar issues as the contestants, such as materialism and greed,
but his style was more rhythmical, colloquial and smooth.
“I do think that … many spoken-word artists are part of
a legacy of orators, from anyone from Dr. King to Malcolm X to Paul
Wilkes,” Williams said. “I think (what has) happened
with the spoken-word scene is that we are evolving. There was a
very specific oratory that comes from the black church. … I think
what’s happening in the spoken-word movement is that there is
another kind of eloquence coming through emceeing.”
In between performances, the gospel choir harmonized spiritual
hymns as the bass thumped a hard beat while a guitar played melody
and the drummer kept rhythm and crashed symbols.
The power of the spoken word has been integral to black
communities, Asante said, but warned that those who are carrying on
the tradition of oration also have a responsibility. In one of the
poems in his book “Like Water Running Down My Back,”
Asante talks about the morals of some of the lyrics in current rap
music.
“I think there’s no doubt that they (rappers) have
no problem carrying on the tradition of oration. They’ve done
an excellent, excellent job of oration,” Asante said.
“Because the word is so powerful and because the word is so
sacred, you have to be conscious of how you use it.”