We Energies celebrated a 40-year tradition of honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by once again holding its Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Speech Contest.
This year’s theme, “What affects one affects all,” was inspired by King’s 1963 “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” where he famously wrote about injustice anywhere being a threat to justice everywhere.
Working closely with teachers and administrators from Milwaukee-area schools, the contest encourages students from kindergarten through 12th grade to write and deliver speeches inspired by a quote from King.
In December, students delivered their original speeches in front of family, friends and a panel of judges made up of We Energies employees, nonprofit leaders and education administrators at the We Energies headquarters in downtown Milwaukee. Competitors were ranked based on criteria including speech development, analysis and reasoning, value and delivery. Then, six first-place recipients were chosen to deliver their speeches at the citywide Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.
This year, Zaida Smith was selected to deliver her speech, based on her memory of toppling a heart-shaped design of dominoes with her grandma, at the Milwaukee Bucks’ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration presented by We Energies.
“I envision this world as a huge heart, and we, the people, are the dominoes,” she said. “I want to start a domino effect of compassion.”
According to Alison Trouy, senior communications specialist– media relations at We Energies, the success of the program relies on a strong network of community partners and demonstrates that the utility’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is more than just following policies and procedures—it’s an integral part of the company’s corporate culture and has been for decades.
“Year after year, we continue to be amazed by the compassion, wisdom and vulnerability the students share in their original speeches,” Beth Straka, senior vice president–corporate communications and investor relations at We Energies, told American Gas. “It is inspiring to listen to the students’ optimism about the future and their plans to make this world a better place for all.”