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Printer-Friendly ModeTalley earns MLK Speech Contest win
Freshman gives three-step outline in first-ever contest
January 31, 2005 —
The first-ever SVSU Diversity Speech Contest was held Thursday, Jan. 27, featuring powerful performances and moving messages.
The contest, held in the Performing Arts Theatre, was part of a series of projects put on by the Student Life Center in honor of Black History Month and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Seven compelling contestants each composed and presented a five-minute speech on diversity. Assistant Director of Student Life Jennifer Jackson, coordinator of events for Black History Month, explained that diversity as a topic provided broad guidelines for the speeches, from which they "could go anywhere they wanted." The only other stipulation that Jackson asked of the speakers was that the speeches be "uplifting and persuasive."
Each contestant's speech was judged by University Communication's Jan Poppe, assistant to the vice president for Public Affairs, and Communications Professor Wynn McDonald, also the assistant director of Career Planning and Placement. The judges did indeed see many uplifting and persuasive speeches, all of which spoke about ways to improve diversity awareness and action on the SVSU campus. In the end, three winners were chosen.
Earning first place was Ashley Talley, a freshman member of the Organization of Black Unity and employee in Minority Services.
Although a relative newcomer on the college scene, Talley was no stranger to the stage, with a commanding delivery and a heartfelt, humorous, but overall hard-hitting message.
She spoke on diversity at SVSU, saying, "We have everything we need right in our hands, but we need to use it."
She outlined three steps for improving diversity on campus: representation, participation and direction. Through participation, Talley explained, "everyone benefits from diversity," and "without direction, people perish." She noted the importance and significance of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream, but called for the creation of "a new dream." Her dream, she continued, is "America as a Baskin Robbins - you can pick any flavor you want without people questioning."
In the end, Talley cited understanding as the key to respect and posed the challenge to every person to "use what you have in your hands."
Right behind her in second place was Kelly Johnson, a sophomore member of the Alpha Phi Omega sorority.
She opened the audience's eyes to prejudice in language and in culture, drawing on many of her own experiences at SVSU to illustrate. In listening to Maya Angelou speak on campus, Johnson explained, she learned the importance of language, and in rooming with a girl of another culture, she learned the importance of acceptance. She encouraged the audience to mentor, volunteer and enlighten each other, or to perform more simple changes, like "not laughing at racial jokes."
In summing up her message, Johnson left the room with the simple wisdom of Mahatma Gandhi, saying, "Be the change that we wish to see in the world."
The judges applauded third-place winner Steve Lewitzke, a junior member of the Abler's Club and the Gay-Straight Alliance. He honored the progress of Martin Luther King, Jr. and recognized the work that yet has to be done.
He thanked SVSU for its encouragement of diversity through programs such as the speech contest, saying that he "liked how students are able to represent themselves - our progress has been awesome." Lewitzke pointed out the importance of stopping the "institutionalization of bigotry" on campus because "school is supposed to prepare people for the world - a world not of different cultures, but of one human race."
He also implored the audience to take action on the legal scene and continue to enforce equal opportunity laws, as well as push for diversity within government.
"Don't be intimated by the majority," he said, "and remember - Martin Luther King's dream has never died."
Talley received a prize of $100, while Johnson won $75 and Lewitzke $50.
Other upcoming projects for Black History Month are "Showtime at the Apollo" on Friday, Feb. 4 at 7 pm in Rhea Miller Recital Hall, speakers Jim Lucas on Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 6 pm in the Performing Arts Theatre, and Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick on Tuesday, Feb. 15, at 2 pm in the Multi-Purpose Room.
More info on these and other events can be found at the Student Life Center.