06/06/2026
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These are the closing words that Leen Hijaz, the valedictorian at Clayton High School in North Carolina, uttered that led her principal to pull her away from the microphone by the arm, cutting off her graduation speech:
"Class of 2026, this is our moment. Let's move forward with confidence, ambition, and hope for the future. Before I leave the stage, I have one last thing to say. Every single person here has a voice, and we are privileged to have the freedom to use it when so many people around the world are struggling and suffering to be heard. Whether it’s the millions suffering in Palestine, Sudan, Congo, Afghanistan and so many other countries around the world, or families being torn apart by ICE. These are not distant issues. They are happening right here as I speak. My point is, we’re not given a voice to stay silent."
After Leen refused to stay silent last Thursday, the school withheld her diploma -- then, this week, as the video spread and the questions mounted, reversed course and handed it over. Leen had left those closing lines out of her approved remarks, knowing they would never be cleared. She said them anyway. "Somebody has to say something," she later explained, "because nobody else is going to speak up... so if you're given the opportunity, you should."
Kudos to Leen for showing the moral courage to use her voice for the voiceless. May we all find the same courage in these times.
You can watch Leen's graduation speech at https://youtu.be/MTNoGzVePhE?t=3662
For a powerful book for adult readers about summoning moral courage in the moments that matter most -- the decision to speak when silence would be easier -- we highly recommend Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde's "How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith" at https://bookshop.org/a/8011/9780593539217 (Bookshop) and https://amzn.to/40GpHtM (Amazon)
It was also released in a young readers edition for tweens and teens, ages 10 and up: "We Can Be Brave: How We Learn to Be Brave in Life's Decisive Moments" at https://bookshop.org/a/8011/9798217113828 (Bookshop) and https://amzn.to/3L6lRGk (Amazon)
For an inspiring picture book encouraging girls to make their voices heard, we recommend "Raise Your Hand" for ages 5 to 9 at https://www.amightygirl.com/raise-your-hand
For two excellent resources to help tween and teen girls learn how to assert themselves with confidence and let their voices be heard, we highly recommend "A Smart Girl’s Guide to Knowing What to Say" for ages 9 to 12 (https://www.amightygirl.com/a-smart-girl-s-guide-to-knowing-what-to-say) and "Express Yourself: A Teen Girl's Guide to Speaking Up and Being Who You Are" for ages 12 and up (https://www.amightygirl.com/express-yourself-guide)
To inspire children and teens with the true stories of girls and women who dared to fight for change throughout history, visit our blog post, "Dissent Is Patriotic: 50 Books About Women Who Fought for Change," at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=14364
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