On November 7, 2022, the state of Utah held a “Communism Victims Remembrance Day” event to mourn the countless victims of global communist tyranny. The event was organized by the non-profit organization “Utah Voices for the Voiceless,” founded by Lisa Fifield, aiming to commemorate over a hundred million innocent victims globally and shed light on their stories. Hundreds of people participated in the event held at the Utah State Capitol that day.
Lisa Fifield, the founder of the event, had previously worked as a professional dancer in a ballet troupe in Guangzhou, China, where she personally experienced life under Communist rule. She mentioned that during her time in China, she often saw images of Mao Zedong but only later discovered the brutal truth about him, leading to the deaths of 65 million Chinese people. She expressed sorrow over the whitewashing of victims’ stories in history, saying, “Many stories of the persecuted have almost been forgotten.”
The “Communism Victims Remembrance Day” was first established in 2018 by the Utah State Legislature through HB 116 and is commemorated annually on November 7th. Starting in 2022, Fifield contacted the initiator of the bill, State Representative Kay Christofferson, proposing to organize the commemorative event.
Following the remembrance event, Utah students from grades 1 to 12 participated in the “First Amendment Speech Contest,” focusing on the themes of religious freedom, freedom of the press, freedom of speech, the right to assemble, and the right to petition as outlined in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Through the speech contest, students selected the amendment right they deemed most significant and expressed their views, further understanding the value of freedom and the U.S. Constitution.
This year’s commemorative event placed special emphasis on victims from North Korea and invited North Korean defector Jiyeon Maeng as the keynote speaker. Last year, Jiyeon Maeng and her husband Doohyun published a book titled “A Necessary Lie,” recounting their escape story. Each student participating in the speech contest received a signed copy of the book. Jiyeon Maeng’s story resonated strongly with the audience, serving as a stark reminder of the extreme cruelty of the North Korean regime.
Lisa Fifield expressed her hope that through these activities, Americans would recognize the dangers brought about by communism. She said, “I hope that through these stories, people can remember our responsibility to be a shining city on a hill and keep the flame of freedom alive.”
For more information on the “Communism Victims Remembrance Day,” please visit the official website at www.utahvoicesforthevoiceless.org. If you wish to donate and support the event, please visit the Go Fund Me page at https://gofund.me/a892ce40.