thurlburt Jan 19, 2025 | Lincoln Journal Star (Lincoln, Nebraska)
The 30th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Rally was held Sunday at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
The event, which coincides with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, was made even more special this year because Leola Bullock, the late founder of the rally, would have turned 95 on Sunday.
Bullock was an activist in Nebraska and a civil rights leader. She, like King, believed that the future of the country is in the hands of its youth. This belief led her to create the rally for students in Lincoln.
The program featured students from elementary to high school in Lincoln who were eager to share their voices with the community through original speeches, adaptations and songs. The rally, which is usually held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, was held a day before to avoid clashing with Inauguration Day.
Rafa Ahmed, one of the student presenters at this year's rally, attributed her speech to Bullock. Ahmed, a sophomore at Lincoln North Star High School taking part in her second MLK Youth Rally, said Bullock created the rally to "give youth a space" to use their voices.
Addison Olds, a junior at Lincoln Southeast, said the Youth Rally is a great way for the inclusive program to "promote positivity in the community."
It was also an opportunity for the community to interact with staff from the nonprofit Linked 2 Literacy, who brought books that had been used in past rallies for students to sign and share.
Pete Ferguson, one of the advisers of the Youth Rally and the coordinator of culture, inclusion and scholar development for Lincoln Public Schools, could be seen signing these books, posing for selfies and chatting with community members.
"This is not the only, but certainly another, showcase of positive youth action," Ferguson said. "This program is the celebration we should be having, but it also addresses the steps that still need to be taken."
Students walk past an art piece depicting the fight for civil rights during the Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Rally on Sunday at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Nebraska Union.
Scholars like Olds and Ahmed shared their views on topics such as women's rights and dversity, equity and inclusion. They urged those in attendance to continue working toward equal rights for all and support for young people's voices.
The Youth Rally's 30th annual program was a warm one shared by much of the Lincoln community. Love for the founder, Bullock, was obvious, especially in closing remarks made by student Emma Brown.
"Sometimes the King is Martin and sometimes the King is a woman named Leola."
