Building Bridges and Breaking Bread
The City of Toledo, University of Toledo, and the Human Relations Commission are seeking submissions for the annual MLK Day virtual celebration.
Speeches from Toledo youth, teens, and adults are requested, with a stipend available for the speakers selected. To participate, you will need to upload a 30 second video clip of you performing your speech, as well as the full text of the piece.
The selected speeches will be pre-recorded for the MLK Day virtual celebration. Not comfortable on camera? Team up with a friend and have them read your words. Creativity and collaboration are encouraged!
The speech should connect to one or more of MLK's core principles:
Nonviolence: “Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. It is a sword that heals.”
Justice: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Love: “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.”
Faith: “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
Courage: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
Service: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”
Forgiveness: “We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive.”
Hope: “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
October 15: Submissions open.
November 15: Submissions close.
December 2: Selected speakers notified.
December 9-13: Film recording of speaker delivering their speech.