Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In light of the pandemic, every event looks a bit different these days. Including the 40th Annual celebration honoring the revolutionary work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.— ”Restoration, Reconciliation and Resilience.” This free event brought to our community by MLK Unity Group, was streamed on BCAC TV, Channel 11, and is now archived on their Youtube Channel; Youtube.com/BCACTV.
The theme is reflective of the emotionally taxing events of this past year; the public death of George Floyd and subsequent uprising against racial injustices across the nation, the passing of the Honorable Representative John Lewis, a major figure of the Civil Rights Era, and the devastation and difficulties which lay in the wake of political strife, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the theme may sound as heavy to digest as all of 2020 was the program beautifully connected these ideas to a metaphorical image of historic Bethel A.M.E. (African Methodist Episcopal) Church, Chico, CA’s oldest church, currently in the process of being restored.
A powerful speech by Keynote Speaker, Rev. Loretta Dickerson-Smith, taped within the church builds upon the hopeful message of Dr. King’s legacy. Like the church, the people need restoration. Rev. Dickerson-Smith hopes that we might all strive to use the model of community to tear down the walls between us, and take responsibility for restoring all souls within it.
This year, we were also excited to be included in a brief segment describing the use of the North State Equity Fund’s grant and how we are aiding the QT*POC community with our Direct Aid Fund.
While the event was free, donations to the North State Equity Fund are encouraged.
If you missed out, don’t worry! The full-length event is available here: youtube.com/BCACTV and also features talented local musicians, singers, and artists, in addition to other valuable members within the activist community.
Written by Natalie F. Windt
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If you missed out, the full-length Beloved Community Virtual Event is available here: youtube.com/BCACTV