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Dr. King himself would’ve likely been moved by the poetic and poignant speech given by Elgin High School senior Ralyssa Enueshike.
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 16, Enueshike addressed the crowd at Booker T. Washington Elementary School. She spoke about Dr. King’s emphasis on love, his persistence in the fight for equality and how the unification of Elgin wouldn’t have been possible without Dr. King.
“Without Martin Luther King's determination to create a world of love and peace, we wouldn't have Elgin, a melting pot of many different colors and ethnicities intermingling,” said Enueshike in her speech. “It is appropriate and vital that we take this day to celebrate the struggle Dr. King and his supporters went through for us to become one as a society.”
In the opening remarks of her speech, Enueshike acknowledged that segregation lasted until just 60 years ago, and that Dr. King’s activism was integral to moving past this barrier. She spoke about the hate and violence that he and his supporters endured, and how he persevered and maintained his philosophy of love and peace despite the cruelty he was treated with.
Enueshike said the togetherness of Elgin she referenced in her speech is reflective of Dr. King’s preaching of inclusivity.
“He didn’t believe in isolation and strongly felt that when different people live amongst one another it helped open doors for equality,” said Enueshike. “People should be able to work for what they get without their color, ethnicity or religion playing a factor.”
Enueshike said ending racism entirely isn’t realistic, but she did offer her opinion on how American society can continue to make progress in the fight to end racism.
“You can do things to control your own perception of other people by being open-minded and thoughtful towards other people’s stories,” Enueshike said. “Try putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.”
In addition, Enueshike is known on campus for being a stellar athlete, serving as a member of the Purple Diamonds dance team and powerlifting team. After high school, she plans on attending the University of Texas at Austin. She originally accepted her admission as a social work student, but she’s thinking about changing her major.
“I enjoy making a difference by helping others because I believe that if you’re there for someone, you could inspire them to be there for someone in their own life,” Enueshike said.
