Review the guidelines and resources below, and then submit a written and/or recorded entry. As Guest Judge Sarah Hurwitz says, “Say something true.” In other words, dear writers, build your speech from what is true and meaningful to your life.
What does our current moment call for, dear writers? At a time when people around the world are confronting health, financial, social, and environmental upheaval, your voices-on what matters to you-are urgently needed. Hearing a speech illuminates the importance of voice, intonation and cadence, and demonstrates just how powerful the written word becomes when delivered aloud. As a place to start, we recommend taking a look at this speech from early in JFK’s career, on the right to housing for all Americans or watching his oft-quoted 1960 Acceptance Speech at Democratic Convention or the 1961 Inaugural address. As you consider a topic, check out the Library’s vast selection of resources, many of which highlight the intellectual and political history of the 35th President of the United States. This month, we are partnering with the JFK Library to celebrate the power of the spoken word. From Martin Luther King, Jr.’s I have a Dream to Greta Thunberg’s United Nation’s Address, speeches have a special power to capture a moment in time and give meaning that establishes a historical record. Like a favorite song or mantra, powerful speeches are burned into our collective memories, resonating across generations and geographies.
Now, more than ever, young people are speaking up, delivering words that catalyze social change, inspire movements, and spark courage. Emma Gonzáles-age 18- at a demonstration in the wake of the mass shooting at her high school. They say… that us kids don’t know what we’re talking about, that we’re too young to understand how the government works. Greta Thunberg-age 16- to world leaders at the UN Climate Summit on September 23, 2019. And if you choose to fail us, I say-we will never forgive you. The eyes of all future generations are upon you.
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