In the city of Timișoara, Romania, in December 1989, hundreds of people did something dangerous. They gathered together. This was not Europe in 1989, but November 7, 2025, at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City. In the solemn circular hall, at the finals of the “First Amendment to the United States Constitution” speech competition, the first place winner among 9th to 12th graders, Joy, was telling the story of courage to nearly 300 audience members.
In her speech, Joy described a story of courage and resilience among the people of Romania who, armed only with candles, courage, and faith, protested the suppression of a pastor openly opposing the regime at the time. They chanted a forbidden word: “Libertate! – Freedom.” The crowd grew as students, factory workers, and mothers with children in their arms joined hands, shouting the taboo word: “Liberation!” – Freedom. In response, the regime deployed soldiers, tanks, and live ammunition. Unarmed civilians were shot, streets stained with blood, yet the people refused to disperse. More gathered, and within days, the dictatorship fell.
“The weapon that defeated the regime was not arms – it was a gathering,” Joy’s voice rang out, clear and resolute. “Freedom of speech gave us a voice, but freedom of assembly turned that voice into a powerful choir.”
Joy’s speech was part of the fourth annual “Communism Victims Memorial Day” in Utah, which paid special tribute this year to the victims of communism in Romania. The event not only looked back at history but also served as the finals for the “First Amendment to the United States Constitution” themed speech competition.
Joy then turned the audience’s attention to the harsh realities of the present. “Sadly, this kind of freedom is rare,” she said. “Over 70% of the world’s population lives in places where assembly is restricted.”
Her powerful speech was rooted in personal experience. “I lived in China for ten years,” she shared. “My friends with faith can no longer gather. Many are losing faith – because they are losing connections.”
She then shifted focus to the land beneath their feet – America. “Even here, we cannot let fear or hostility – as we have seen at UVU (Utah Valley University) or in Michigan – stop us from gathering.”
Joy added in an interview that while she hadn’t personally experienced persecution under communism, her ten years living in China witnessing friends losing the freedom to assemble made her cherish the opportunity to speak, representing those “who cannot speak for themselves.”
Event organizer Lisa Fifield admitted she believed holding the event was God’s will. She said, “Communist victims, whether alive or dead, wish to share their stories.”
This sense of mission stemmed from her own experiences. Since 1999, Fifield spent nearly two years living in China, where she “slightly experienced what life without freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom to petition, and freedom of assembly would be like.”
Returning to the land of freedom that is America, she felt a heavy responsibility. Many who fled communism told her, “We are in America now to escape communism. If America falls, we have nowhere else to go.”
Thus, she founded the organization “Utah Voices for the Voiceless” and is dedicated to “helping young people understand the evils of communism and the rights bestowed upon us by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.”
To make history less abstract, Fifield shared the story of Victor Herman, an American whose family moved to the Soviet Union in 1931 to build the “great proletariat.” Eventually, they became victims, with Victor enduring unimaginable torture for 45 years. His only motivation to live was to return to America and tell his story.
The concerns for America’s future were also met with responses from politicians in attendance. Supporter of the event and Utah State Representative Kay J. Christofferson praised the students’ performances but also issued a warning about the current state of America.
“I believe our country really needs to carefully examine the direction we are heading,” he candidly pointed out. “Some people want things for free, they want things easy, but they fail to realize that freedom comes with accountability and responsibility. We all need to be vigilant about this.”
Representative Christofferson believed events like this were crucial because they “make children think about what is important in their lives, what freedoms we have that others do not.” He believed these children would grow up to be leaders who “understand the difference between freedom and communism.”
The event was not just speeches and memorials. Amidst the solemn atmosphere of the Capitol building, the organizers also launched a donation drive titled “Bringing Christmas to the Children of Romania,” collecting pajamas and LEGO toys for the children.
As Joy urged in her closing remarks, “So let us use this right. Let us host meetings. Let us plan protests. Let us participate in commemorative events – just like we are doing here and now.”
The organizing group “Utah Voices for the Voiceless” promised to commemorate the victims of communism in Poland next year. They hoped to “prevent history from repeating by reflecting on the past and examining the present” and to “become a beacon of hope for the people currently enslaved in the world today.”