Ten years of unity to be celebrated at MLK event
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Day celebration started out 10 years ago as an idea to bring the city together on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It now has become the largest community event in the area to celebrate the activist’s memory and vision.
The “One World. One People … Tenth Year” celebration will take place at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 17, in Savage Arena with more people participating than ever before as the program will be carried live on television for the first time via FOX Toledo 36. It also will be on a time delay with WGTE Public Media.
The ceremony will include words of inspiration from UT President Lloyd Jacobs, Toledo Mayor Mike Bell and area youth — including a pledge from students in Toledo Public Schools’ Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School.
The Toledo Interfaith Mass Choir and the UT Student African-American Brotherhood will give performances. The 2010 MLK Scholarship recipients also will be recognized.
A free community luncheon will follow the ceremony.
“What affects one of us will affect us all and, as a result, we all will benefit from a community that values respect, dignity and equality,” Bell said. “Each year this event reminds us of these ideas as we celebrate the life of Dr. King and reinforce the dream he spent his life pursuing.”
“I look forward to this great event every year. It’s important to honor Dr. King and his message of equality, unity and service, which is entirely consistent with our values at The University of Toledo,” Jacobs said. “Dr. King’s words need to continue to be an inspiration for future generations as we all work to build upon his dream.”
King’s message of helping others will be honored with student service and volunteer opportunities at the event. And all attendees of Unity Day, which is open to the public, are asked to bring a canned good that will be donated to the MLK Kitchen for the Poor to help those in need.
The event is organized by Unity Celebration committee co-chairs Bill Stewart, special assistant to the mayor, and Dr. Shanda Gore, UT assistant vice president for equity and diversity.
For more information, contact Stewart at 419.245.1154 or the UT Office of Special Events at 419.530.2200.
Press Release Contact Name: Meghan Cunningham
Press Release Contact Email: [email protected]
Organization Name: University of Toledo