Our Authors Study Club, Inc. announced today that actor and educator William Allen Young will be joining the judges panel at the upcoming Carter G. Woodson Oratorical Finals on Saturday, February 24 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Airport Police Community Center, located at 9160 South Loyola Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90045. Young, an award-winning actor and director with a prolific career, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the event. The Finals are free and RSVP is highly suggested: www.tinyurl.com/OratoryFinals24.
The inclusion of actor and educator William Allen Young in the judges panel at the Carter G. Woodson Oratorical Finals highlights Our Authors Study Club's commitment to including diverse community members who have a vested interest in the growth and well-being of our youth.
Lura Daniels Ball, President of Our Authors Study Club, expressed her excitement about Young's participation, stating, "We are thrilled to have actor and educator William Allen Young join us at the Carter G. Woodson Oratorical Finals. His expertise and passion for developing young minds align perfectly with our mission to promote Black history and culture."
William is a USC graduate and former #1 College Speaker in the Nation for two consecutive years, when he led the Trojan Debate Squad to a National Championship. He holds a master's degree in Sociolinguistics, a bachelor's degree in Rhetoric & Debate, and has lectured at major colleges and universities nationwide.
The inclusion of actor and educator William Allen Young in the judges panel at the Carter G. Woodson Oratorical Finals highlights Our Authors Study Club's commitment to including diverse community members who have a vested interest in the growth and well-being of our youth.
Lura Daniels Ball, President of Our Authors Study Club, expressed her excitement about Young's participation, stating, "We are thrilled to have actor and educator William Allen Young join us at the Carter G. Woodson Oratorical Finals. His expertise and passion for developing young minds align perfectly with our mission to promote Black history and culture."
William is a USC graduate and former #1 College Speaker in the Nation for two consecutive years, when he led the Trojan Debate Squad to a National Championship. He holds a master's degree in Sociolinguistics, a bachelor's degree in Rhetoric & Debate, and has lectured at major colleges and universities nationwide.
As founder/president of the nonprofit Young Center for Academic and Cultural Enrichment, he has helped transform lives and create opportunities for countless underserved youth to obtain a college education. Students from over 250 schools have participated in the organization's award-winning programs, and its distinguished alumni have been accepted at more than 80 U.S. colleges and universities to date.
Other judges include:
- Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, Principal of Esther Collins & 37th Street Early Education Centers for the Los Angeles Unified School District
- Isaias Martinez, Administrator of the Office of Staff Relations, Los Angeles Unified School District
- Ernest McCullough, Complex Project Manager, Los Angeles Unified School District
- Brad Rumble, Principal, Esperanza Elementary Los Angeles Unified School District
- Jermaine Shelton, founder of Shelton Media Group, a talent management and media production company based in Los Angeles
In the future, Our Authors Study Club plans to expand its reach and impact by hosting more events, collaborating with diverse communities, and creating new opportunities for people to engage with Black history and heritage.
Remember to RSVP at www.tinyurl.com/OratoryFinals24.
The Oratorical Finals are sponsored by Councilmember Traci Park (District 11), Los Angeles Sentinel, The Weingart Foundation, and Lura's Kitchen.
For more information about Our Authors Study Club and upcoming events, please visit https://oascla.org.
About Our Authors Study Club
Our Authors Study Club was founded by Vassie D. Wright, who was also a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority. In 1945, she and a group of postal workers formed OASC to study the true history of African People. She is responsible for LA's first city wide Negro History Week celebration, which evolved to the current citywide Black History Month celebration in Los Angeles in partnership with every mayor since Mayor Bowron in 1950.
OASC aims to make the world more aware of, more connected to, and more invested in the African American and African diaspora experience. To ignite conversations that inspire new books, films, artistic expressions, music, podcasts, and social interactions across diverse populations. They advocate against the dilution of Black heritage and legacy, which has been underrepresented in mainstream history, literature, and media. Their goal is to support libraries, museums, schools, and media in promoting Black lives and to recognize, amplify, and honor the contributions of Black Americans.
For more information, visit https://oascla.org. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OurAuthorsStudyClub.
