We are very excited to announce the winners of our Unheard Speechwriting competition. Our speech prompt asked students to choose a group of people whose voices are going unheard and make an argument as to why we need to listen to that group of people. Our students chose to speak on behalf of children experiencing homelessness, veterans, Black lives, women and foster children.
Our winning speechwriter, T.C., a young woman at the Wyoming Girls School, chose to speak on behalf of survivors of sexual abuse. She says “I want for the unheard voices to know that they will be heard,” and she encourages her listeners to support survivors, to let them know they can “trust and believe.” T.C. bravely shares her own experience, and speaks directly to friends and loved ones who are also survivors. She notes statistics that highlight the small percentage of sexual abuse cases that lead to arrest; she emphasizes the importance of listening to survivors. She is clear: “I am not afraid to take a stand even though it caused me to be rejected by my family for telling the truth.” She is resolute: “I will keep on pushing.” And she deserves our support for coming forth.
We hope you take a moment to listen to all of this year's winners by visiting our Unheard website (scroll to bottom of page).
