Young Chicagoans Honor Martin Luther King's Legacy with Powerful Speeches
In a heartwarming display of oratory skills, eighth-graders from across the city gathered at the Drake Hotel to pay tribute to civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. in an annual oratory competition sponsored by the Foley and Lardner law firm.
Among them was 11-year-old Alanna Atwood, who delivered a rousing speech that earned her first place. Her words of wisdom were reminiscent of King's own message of non-violent resistance and compassion. When asked about King's advice to her peers, she said: "We shouldn't be using any weapons or anything because weapons can cause a lot of things, it can cause injuries and more things like that, and we don’t want that in the world."
Atwood was just one of eight students from Chicago's elementary schools who participated in the competition. The other finalists spoke about topics such as racism, gun violence, and the importance of finding joy in life. For Tremond Williams, 5th grader at Cather Elementary, the message was clear: "There is a lot going on in the news in the world, which is why it’s so necessary to find joy in your friendships with people... Find joy in celebrating life."
The competition was more than just an oratory contest; it was an opportunity for students to pass on King's legacy and inspire their peers. As Managing Partner Frank Pasquesi of Foley and Lardner put it, "We want people to forget the impactful words and the approach he took... Words matter, and I think Dr. King taught us that just with words you can accomplish anything."
The event was also notable for its recognition of the enduring impact of Martin Luther King Jr.'s presence in Chicago. In 1966, King moved his family to the West Side and spent a year advocating for fair housing, education, and jobs in North Lawndale.
Each finalist was awarded cash prizes, new laptops, and congratulatory letters from Gov. JB Pritzker. The judges praised their stage presence, decorum, content interpretation, and memorization. Arshay Cooper, an author raised in Chicago, was on the panel of judges and emphasized the importance of young people's voices in shaping change.
For Alanna Atwood's mother, Fritzlene Atwood, winning the competition was a moment of pride not just for her daughter but for all African American women. She said: "This opportunity gave my daughter the understanding of that, learning her history, and knowing that she matters... Being a young African American woman, she matters, her voice matters, her decisions matter."
As these young orators took to the stage, they carried on King's legacy, reminding us all that words can be powerful tools for change.
In a heartwarming display of oratory skills, eighth-graders from across the city gathered at the Drake Hotel to pay tribute to civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. in an annual oratory competition sponsored by the Foley and Lardner law firm.
Among them was 11-year-old Alanna Atwood, who delivered a rousing speech that earned her first place. Her words of wisdom were reminiscent of King's own message of non-violent resistance and compassion. When asked about King's advice to her peers, she said: "We shouldn't be using any weapons or anything because weapons can cause a lot of things, it can cause injuries and more things like that, and we don’t want that in the world."
Atwood was just one of eight students from Chicago's elementary schools who participated in the competition. The other finalists spoke about topics such as racism, gun violence, and the importance of finding joy in life. For Tremond Williams, 5th grader at Cather Elementary, the message was clear: "There is a lot going on in the news in the world, which is why it’s so necessary to find joy in your friendships with people... Find joy in celebrating life."
The competition was more than just an oratory contest; it was an opportunity for students to pass on King's legacy and inspire their peers. As Managing Partner Frank Pasquesi of Foley and Lardner put it, "We want people to forget the impactful words and the approach he took... Words matter, and I think Dr. King taught us that just with words you can accomplish anything."
The event was also notable for its recognition of the enduring impact of Martin Luther King Jr.'s presence in Chicago. In 1966, King moved his family to the West Side and spent a year advocating for fair housing, education, and jobs in North Lawndale.
Each finalist was awarded cash prizes, new laptops, and congratulatory letters from Gov. JB Pritzker. The judges praised their stage presence, decorum, content interpretation, and memorization. Arshay Cooper, an author raised in Chicago, was on the panel of judges and emphasized the importance of young people's voices in shaping change.
For Alanna Atwood's mother, Fritzlene Atwood, winning the competition was a moment of pride not just for her daughter but for all African American women. She said: "This opportunity gave my daughter the understanding of that, learning her history, and knowing that she matters... Being a young African American woman, she matters, her voice matters, her decisions matter."
As these young orators took to the stage, they carried on King's legacy, reminding us all that words can be powerful tools for change.
. I mean, have you tried it? It's like a whole different world of flavors. Anyway, back to the news... what struck me is that Alanna Atwood's speech reminded me of that movie 'Wonder' where the main character is bullied and finds his voice through writing 
. Maybe these young orators will be inspired by her words and write their own stories of courage and resilience 
I'm not sure about this one... it sounds like a feel-good story, but where are the sources? Who exactly is sponsoring this competition and what's their stake in promoting Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy? Is there any concrete data to support the claim that oratory skills can be developed through these kinds of competitions?
I mean, what about the real issues facing Chicago's youth? Gun violence, poverty, police brutality? Are these just going to be swept under the rug because some 8th-graders are speaking about them in a fancy competition? 
I mean, if those kinds of conversations can happen between 11-year-olds and 5th-graders, maybe there's hope for the future after all... or is it just a marketing ploy to get more young people interested in law school? 
! Alanna Atwood's message about non-violent resistance and compassion is everything I want to hear more of - we need more young voices like hers speaking out against racism, gun violence, and inequality. And can I just say that the whole "finding joy in life" vibe from Tremond Williams was SO needed in today's world 
. It's amazing to see these kids using their platforms to spread positivity and hope. We need more of this kind of activism and leadership coming from our youth 
. Kudos to Foley and Lardner for sponsoring the event and supporting these young changemakers 
!
. I mean, I was in elementary school when I heard about his speeches and stuff... those were the days! Nowadays, we got kids like Alanna Atwood, who are already making waves with their powerful words 
. It's awesome to see how her message of non-violent resistance and compassion resonates with today's youth 
. And you know what? It feels so much more personal when it comes from someone who actually has a stake in it 
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. But this year's event felt like we're getting closer to that same goal – where everyone can live without fear of prejudice or persecution 
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. Nowadays, it feels like social media is the primary outlet for change... but I think these young orators are showing us that there's still value in the old-fashioned art of public speaking 
. Bring on the next generation! 
. It's amazing how much Martin Luther King Jr.'s message of non-violent resistance and compassion still resonates with these young Chicagoans today 
. Reminds me of the good old days when we used to have those incredible speeches by Mahatma Gandhi, you know? 
. And I'm loving how they're not afraid to talk about tough issues like racism and gun violence – it's like they're carrying on the legacy of figures like Malcolm X and Fred Hampton, who were fighting for justice back in the day 
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. i love how they were all so passionate and confident on stage 
. it's amazing to see the next gen carrying on his legacy 
. these cash prizes, new laptops, and congratulatory letters from gov jb pritzker aren't enough though 
!
, reminded me of the message that King kept saying - all this talk about not using weapons is exactly what he meant by non-violent resistance. And it's cool to see them talking about racism and gun violence, those are issues we need more voices on 
Another bunch of kids being forced to grow up too fast... 11-year-old Alanna Atwood is already talking about how "weapons can cause a lot of things" 
. When are we gonna stop expecting our youth to take on the weight of the world? 
The fact that they're competing in an oratory competition is just a fancy way of saying they're being molded into little robots who'll parrot whatever message they're fed... 
? But more than that, I think this competition is helping to keep Dr. King's legacy alive in our community and reminding us all of the power of words and actions 
, she totally got the message across without sounding preachy or anything. And Tremond Williams' talk about finding joy in life was really inspiring 
. We should be supporting more initiatives like this that give kids a platform to speak up and make a difference.