Youth Voices Fill Saguaro High School in Powerful Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (January 16, 2026) ― The sound of music, reflection, and courage echoed through Saguaro High School on January 15 as hundreds gathered for the 26^th annual Youth Voices Event, honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and celebrating the power of young voices shaping the future of civil rights. This event is part of a wonderful partnership with Scottsdale’s Community Celebrating Diversity Board. 

The morning opened with Saguaro’s elementary feeder schools leading the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance, followed with a stirring performance by Saguaro High School’s orchestra, whose renditions of the National Anthem and “Lift Every Voice and Sing” set a powerful, emotional tone for the event. From there, students took center stage, sharing personal reflections on identity, resilience, and the responsibility of using their voices to uplift others.

Student speaker Erevelia Freeman delivered a message of confidence and perseverance, reminding her peers that belief in oneself is essential in the face of adversity. She urged students not to allow doubt or discrimination to determine their future, emphasizing that strength and self-assurance are acts of resistance in themselves. “If you go into a situation feeling defeated, you already are. Don’t think that you don’t have every opportunity as anyone else because of your race, because you do,” said Freeman. 

The event’s final student speaker, Makenna Douglas, captivated the audience with a deeply personal story about her family’s legacy and the importance of preserving cultural history. “When I finally did learn to weave a few days later at my Qua'qua so’oh(Grandmother’s) table. I thought of her 80 years ago creating the exact same pattern as me. I imagined the fear she must have felt at her residential school, being punished for speaking her language, forced to take care of younger kids, not knowing when she would be home,” explained Douglas. Through the tradition of basket weaving passed down through generations, she reflected on the endurance of her ancestors and the stories woven into every strand; stories of survival, sacrifice, and triumph. “I imagined girls throughout centuries learning in the exact same place as me, weaving while hiding from missionaries or army officers. I felt every dinnertime story. My teenage grandfather in the military or my grandma making it to the White House. I wove every story I’ve ever been told into a simple diamond pattern.” Douglas’ speech powerfully connected past and present, illustrating how history lives on through tradition.

The ceremony concluded with a keynote address from renowned civil rights leader and historian Dr. Mary Frances Berry, whose lifetime of advocacy has helped shape modern civil rights policy in the United States and beyond. A former Chair of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission and a founder of the Free South Africa Movement, Dr. Berry praised the students for their passion and commitment to justice. “I came here with something on my mind to talk about with this community,” Dr. Berry shared, “I’ve changed my mind completely by what I’ve found here, in particular, in this school. I am just overwhelmed by the warmth, by the commitment, the spirit.”

The event concluded with a lively Q&A session with Dr. Berry, followed by a standing ovation , an unmistakable sign that the next generation is ready to carry the torch forward.

Media Contacts: 

Kristine Harrington, (480) 404-2417,  kristineharrington@susd.org;  

Cymphanie Sherman, (602) 615-7325, csherman@susd.org

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About the Scottsdale Unified School District
With around 20,000 students in our schools, the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) has been a premier choice for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 public education for nearly 130 years. Located northeast of metropolitan Phoenix, the District serves the educational needs of students and families in Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, Tempe and Scottsdale. A highly experienced, professionally certified teaching staff fosters a diverse and rigorous educational environment that engages all students in world-class, future-focused learning. Offering gifted learning, special education, career and technical education, and a variety of athletics, arts and enrichment programs and clubs, SUSD provides the rich environment today’s students need to explore their interests, develop important social skills and grow into tomorrow’s leaders. For more information, visit www.susd.org and follow along on social media: Facebook: @ScottsdaleUSD, X: @ScottsdaleUSD, Instagram: @ScottsdaleUnifiedSD, LinkedIn and YouTube.