Orlando Alphas to host youth-focused Belford V. Lawson Oratorical Contest
The Delta Xi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. will host the speaking competition in honor of distinguished civil rights attorney Belford V. Lawson Jr.’s legacy
CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY AND INSPIRING LEADERSHIP, CONFIDENCE AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. THAT’S THE GOAL OF A YOUTH FOCUSED SPEAKING COMPETITION RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. ORLANDO CHAPTER OF ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INCORPORATED IS PREPARING TO HOST THE BELFORD V LAWSON ORATORICAL CONTEST. JOINING ME THIS MORNING IS THE ORGANIZATION’S DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES, DOCTOR ANTHONY JOHNSON, AND PREVIOUS CONTEST WINNER CALEB WINBUSH. GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING ON TODAY. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. ABSOLUTELY. WE’RE SO EXCITED YOU’RE HERE. SO, ANTHONY, LET’S BEGIN WITH YOU. TELL US ABOUT THIS ORGANIZATION AND ALSO ABOUT THIS COMPETITION. YES, MA’AM. WELL, ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY INCORPORATED, ONE OF THE FIRST FRATERNITIES ESTABLISHED HERE IN OUR SOCIETY FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN WHO ARE SCHOLARS, WHO BELIEVE IN DEVELOPING LEADERS AND PROMOTING BROTHERHOOD AND ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE. THAT’S OUR MISSION. AND WE SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES DAILY, WHETHER IT’S MENTORING, JUST GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITIES. AND THAT’S ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF THIS CONTEST. THE BELFORD LAWSON ORATORICAL CONTEST. IT’S NOT JUST A CONTEST, BUT IT’S AN INVESTMENT INTO THE YOUNG PEOPLE’S LIVES. BELFORD LAWSON HIMSELF WAS OUR 16TH GENERAL PRESIDENT OF OUR FRATERNITY AND ONE OF THE FIRST BLACK MEN TO GO BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT AND WIN A CASE. AND AS AN ATTORNEY AND AN ACTIVIST, WE PAY HOMAGE TO HIM THROUGH THE CONTEST, THROUGH SOCIAL JUSTICE TOPICS AND PROBLEMS. WE ENCOURAGE OUR CONTESTANTS TO GIVE VOICE TO THOSE ISSUES AND MAKE IT RELEVANT TO THEM. EXCELLENT. AND CALEB, YOU ARE YOU WERE IN THE CONTEST AND COMPETED TWO YEARS IN A ROW, RIGHT? SO TELL ME ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE AND WHAT DID YOU THINK OF IT? TO START OFF, I THINK I’D SAY I LOVED IT EVERY MOMENT OF IT. I THINK IT IS A MIX OF A MENTORSHIP GROUP AND A HIGH SCHOOL SPEECH AND DEBATE CLASS. YOU KNOW, THERE IS NEVER ANY EDUCATIONAL ELEMENT THAT IS LACKING. AND THE BROTHERS, THEY TAKE TIME. THEY POUR INTO YOU WITH IN EVERY AREA HOLISTICALLY, NOT JUST NECESSARILY ON THE TOPIC AND THE GENERAL KNOWLEDGE AND RESEARCH. BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHERE WE’LL JUST BE HAVING DISCUSSIONS AND WE’LL BE LAUGHING AND WE’LL BE JOKING AND WE’LL AND WE’LL GO OFF ON TANGENTS. AND I THINK THAT’S WHAT MAKE THE MENTORSHIP GROUP SO CLOSE AND SPECIAL AND WHY I ENJOY IT SO MUCH. SO SUCH A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR YOU. VERY MUCH SO. I WOULD 100% RECOMMEND. OH THAT’S WONDERFUL. OKAY, ANTHONY, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THIS YEAR’S THEME. SO IT’S HOW CAN YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR EMBRACE THEIR WORTH, OVERCOME BARRIERS, AND BUILD A MORE JUST AND EMPOWERED FUTURE? THAT’S THE THEME. WHAT ARE YOU HOPING THAT STUDENTS CONSIDER IN PREPARATION FOR THIS, AND REALLY TAKE AWAY FROM THE EXPERIENCE? WELL, I’M ACTUALLY ENCOURAGING OUR CONTESTANTS THIS YEAR. WE WE’VE BEEN HAVING MEETINGS AND PRACTICES EVERY SATURDAY. OUR LAST ONE IS THIS SATURDAY, BUT I ENCOURAGE THEM TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THE TOPIC IN A SENSE, ESPECIALLY THIS MONTH, BLACK HISTORY MONTH. YOU KNOW, HOW CAN YOU EMBRACE YOUR WORTH? THINK ABOUT WHAT SOCIETY HAS TO SAY ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR. YOU KNOW HOW MANY ODDS ARE STACKED AGAINST YOUNG MEN OF COLOR? I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO PULL FROM THEIR HERITAGE AND THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THEIR ANCESTORS AND KNOW, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE COME FROM GREATNESS. YOU KNOW, WE COME FROM ROYALTY, KINGS AND QUEENS AND WOMEN AND MEN OF COLOR WHO HAVE DONE GREAT THINGS IN SOCIETY. AND WITHOUT THEM, A LOT OF THE INNOVATIONS AND GENIUS CREATIONS THAT WE USE TODAY WOULDN’T BE POSSIBLE. SO I WANT THEM TO TO TAP INTO THAT. WHEN IT COMES TO OVERCOMING BARRIERS, I WANT THEM TO THINK ABOUT THINGS THAT THEY PERSONALLY GO THROUGH GROWING UP, NO MATTER WHERE THEY COME FROM OR WHO THEIR PARENTS ARE. I WANT THEM TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY’VE HAD. AND FINALLY, I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THEIR ACTION PLAN OF HOW THEY CAN CHANGE THE FUTURE AND MAKE IT BETTER FOR MYSELF IN THE NEXT 10 OR 30 YEARS, OR, YOU KNOW, FOR THEMSELVES OR THEIR FAMILIES. AND THAT’S THE GOAL. AND I’M READY TO BE INSPIRED AND HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THOSE YOUNG MEN AFTER THE CONTEST AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU’RE GOING TO BE THE NEXT BELFORD LAWSON OR THE NEXT CALEB. SO I’M EXCITED. THAT’S WONDERFUL. ANTHONY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING ON. CALEB. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. AND GUYS, IF ANYONE WANTS TO GET INVOLVED OR LEARN MORE WHERE CAN THEY GO ANTHONY. WELL THEY CAN SEARCH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM ORLANDO. ALPHAS. AND WE’RE THERE. WE’RE PRESENT HERE IN THE COMMUNITY SO YOU CAN’T MISS US. EXCELLEN
Orlando Alphas to host youth-focused Belford V. Lawson Oratorical Contest
The Delta Xi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. will host the speaking competition in honor of distinguished civil rights attorney Belford V. Lawson Jr.’s legacy
Updated: 9:24 AM EST Feb 16, 2026
The Delta Xi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the Hankins/Johnson Education Foundation, Inc. will host the 2026 Belford V. Lawson Oratorical Contest.The organization’s director of educational activities, Dr. Anthony Johnson, and previous contest winner, Caleb Windbish, join WESH 2 to discuss the contest’s impact in Central Florida. Participants will deliver original speeches addressing the theme: “How Can Young People of Color Embrace Their Worth, Overcome Barriers, and Build a More Just and Empowered Future?”The 2026 Belford V. Lawson Oratorical Contest will be held Sunday, Feb. 22, at 3 p.m. Click here to learn more.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
The Delta Xi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the Hankins/Johnson Education Foundation, Inc. will host the 2026 Belford V. Lawson Oratorical Contest.
The organization’s director of educational activities, Dr. Anthony Johnson, and previous contest winner, Caleb Windbish, join WESH 2 to discuss the contest’s impact in Central Florida.
Participants will deliver original speeches addressing the theme: “How Can Young People of Color Embrace Their Worth, Overcome Barriers, and Build a More Just and Empowered Future?”
The 2026 Belford V. Lawson Oratorical Contest will be held Sunday, Feb. 22, at 3 p.m.