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Blessing Abiri wins place at Grand Final
2020 is an unprecedented year with change and adapting to the new being key features for all of us. This year Jack Petchey’s “Speak Out” Challenge! Will not take place at Cambridge Theatre, instead we are live streaming with pre-recording speeches broadcast from a London film studio on Tuesday 1st December.
From the 20,000 young people who took part in the “Speak Out” Challenge! this year, we are thrilled to announce this year’s Grand Finalists, some of whom became Regional Champions and some Digital Final Champions. In no particular order, please meet the first of our Grand Finalists.
We are delighted to share our second Grand Finalists, congratulations Blessing Abiri.
Representing Westcliff High School for Girls, Southend and Rochford, Blessing Abiri won Digital Final 14. Her speech, ‘400 Years’, is a frank and eloquent insight into the inequalities that still exist “on micro, macro and systematic levels”.
We asked Blessing, why do you think it’s important for young people, like you, to share their stories?
“To inspire, enlighten and encourage. You never know who’s going through the same thing as you but if they hear your story and see how you handled it, then this could provide some sort of encouragement to them.”
And, if you could make one change in the world what would it be?
“If I could, I would make the world equal. I would get rid of poverty and ensure people in low income countries have enough to at least feed themselves and their families. I would also ensure that there is equality racially because no race is superior, we are all human.”
See Blessing in action.
