Honoring a Tradition of Justice and Equality

On Jan. 18 leaders, community members, and students gathered together at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB), Coussoulis Area, for the 36th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer and Breakfast. The event is hosted by the Inland Empire Concerned African American Churches (IECAAC). Their mission is to address the needs, lead change, and improve communities. Those in attendance, were also given the opportunity to participate in a reenactment of Civil Rights Freedom Ride to city hall on the OmniTrans sbX bus. During the 20-minute ride, an education reel was provided featuring personalities from the civil rights movement. The breakfast itself started 36 years ago and was founded by Wilbur Brown, Vivian Nash, Valerie Pope Ludlam, Ratibu (Bill) Jacocks, Wilmer Amina Carter (former Assemblywomen), Robert Rochelle, Sharon Cooper, and Maria Brasher who came together to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The early members began the breakfast in a bowling alley, which has since expanded over the past 36 years. This is the first year that it has been held at CSUSB. The event takes approximately nine months to plan and is a labor of "love" according to Chairperson of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast, Beverly Jones Wright, who has planned the breakfast for 12 consecutive years. This year the event capped out with 700 members of the community in attendance. "The breakfast is an opportunity to continue Dr. King's legacy," Wright said, "It is one thing for us to all come together and remember, it is another for us to continue his vision and dreams. Wright opened the mornings festivities with a greeting. Pastor Kenneth Wells, of the Spirit of Love, lead the invocation prayer. Wells was followed with a welcome from CSUSB President, Dr. Tomás D. Morales. “Dr. King was one of the greatest teachers of the 20th century. As you might expect I have always had a special interest in what he would say about the role of education in building a just society. Dr. King said, ‘It is precisely because of education is the road to equality and citizenship, that it has been made more elusive than other rights.’ He urged his audience to fight for the opportunity for a decent education. He spoke those words in 1964. One year later Cal State San Bernardino opened its doors. That same year the United States Congress passed landmark legislation. A higher education act establishing the first need-based federal student grants and loans, educational opportunity program, and other programs. You are looking at one of the beneficiaries of those programs. I would not have gone to college without the help of financial aid and that federal legislation that Dr. Martin Luther King was instrumental in moving those laws forward.” Morales spoke on the new era of public policy and the statistics of African American students attending college, and how many are unable to attend still, due to financial lacking, adequate preparation, and teacher’s discouragement. He argued that the work of Dr. King and civil rights leaders is far from over and urged audience members to continue the fight. Morales was followed by the Master of Ceremony and Co-Chair of the Dr. Martin Luther King Prayer breakfast, Pastor Owusu Hodari, who introduced the performers of the event. The breakfast featured an array of talents from different organizations to include a Dramatic Expression from Vickie Lee Nichols and Keery L. The Star Spangled banner was performed by Kelli Gulliory. The Principles of Faith Christian Choir sang the Black National Anthem. Principle Dolls, also from The Principles of Faith Christian Center, performed a dance. Additionally, President of IECAAC, Pastor Phillip Powell, gave a speech on Dr. King’s legacy. “Today years after his death, he is still able to have a crowd aroused by his words, and cause a movement to move forward,” Powell said, “This must never become a monument. While we celebrate Dr. King, he would rather us be a movement than a monument. The definition of a monument is a movement that stopped, to enjoy itself too long. So we stand together today, taking a moment out of time, but certainly not done with the momentum that it takes to keep a movement going.” Following the performances, Rabbi Hillel Cohen, from Congregation Emanuel, who has attended over 34 of the breakfasts, read selected Hebrew scriptures including Genesis, Psalms, Isaiah, and Amas. Additionally, Cohen discussed the role of 36 righteous, including Martin Luther King for his time. "It is a very important community function, in that it first expresses the diversity of the community," Cohen said, "It is wonderful that the breakfast brings the community together as whole to reflect on his life. It is a time to renew the legacy he left. He fought for the advancement of all people. We still have a long way to go locally, nationally, and internationally." A new testament reading including verses from Proverbs and Genesis, was given by Pastor Oliver Lambert from Missions for Jesus Christ. San Bernardino Councilman, Rikke Van Johnson acknowledged the Distinguished Leadership and Elected officials in the room to include: • San Bernardino Mayor, Carey Davis • San Bernardino Councilman, Rikke Van Johnson • San Bernardino Council Woman, Virgina Marquez • San Bernardino Councilman, Fred Shorett • San Bernardino Councilman, John Valvidia • State Assemblyman 40th district, Marc Steinnorth • San Bernardino Chief of Police, Jarrod Burguan • San Bernardino County Schools Superintendent, Ted Alejandre • San Berardino City of Schools Superintendent, Dale Marsden • City of Rialto Mayor, Debra Robertson • City of Rialto School Board, Dina Walker • San Bernardino County School Board, Sherman Garnett • San Bernardino County School Board, Hardy Brown • San Bernardino County School Board, Danny Tillman • San Bernardino County School Board, Maragret Hill • San Bernardino County School Board, Gwen Rodgers • Colton Unified School District Board, Kent Taylor • Congregation Emmanuel, Rabbi Hillel Cohn • San Bernardino City Clerk Gigi Hanna • Webb Family Enterprise, Reggie Webb • San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Faun White • San Bernardino County 3rd District Supervisor, James Ramous • San Bernardino County 5th District Supervisor,Jose Gonzales • San Bernardino County Sherriffs Dept. Sherriff John McMahon • San Bernardino City Schools Chief of Police, Joseph Palino • New Hope Missionary Baptist Church Chairman of Deacon Board, Frank Bell • Azusa Pacific University, Director Amanda Slaughter • South Coast Air Quality Management, Lisha Smith • NID Housing, Linda Jackson • Assembly member, 47th District, Cheryl Brown • 35th District Congress Member, Norma J Torres Assembly member, Cheryl Brown has been a long time attendant of the event, including the first one 36 years ago. “This event brings the community together around peace and Dr. Kings vision. One of the things that we have to remember, is that the vision and the dream, is a dream. Some people are trying to turn it into a nightmare, so we have to start looking at how we can continue to love each other, and how we can continue to work in our community, for the betterment of the whole of the community.” 35th District Congress Member, Norma J. Torres, feels that the event brings the community together. “It gives me great pleasure to come out here and meet with the community leaders in the Inland Empire. I think this event, truly means to me and to the community, is that we are all working together to ensure the youth of this community have equal opportunity to educate themselves, to have the opportunity to get a better job, and pride right here in the Inland Empire. We don’t need to leave our homes to have a good future. We have demonstrated that by working together.” Cajon High School sophomore, Arianna Jackson, attended on behalf of the non-profit organization the United Nations of Consciousness. Jackson performed a speech discussing the hardships Freedom Riders faced and the influences of their actions today. “Hopefully you too can be inspired by the Freedom Riders to take a stand in what is right,” Jackson said ending her speech. Jackson decided to discuss the Freedom Riders in her speech since the program included a reenactment. "I wanted to give people a historical overview of the rides and to discuss the other forms of racial discrimination riders protested." Special remarks were given by San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, CSUSB President, Dr. Tomás D. Morales, and Webb Family Enterprises, Reggie Webb. Webb spoke on the influence and hope Martin Luther King brought. “He offered salvation, for oppressed and oppressors alike. His teachings, like courage and sacrifice, changed us, galvanized us, emboldened us, motivated us, corrected us, focused us, and lead us to act in ways that would forever change America and the world." IECAAC President, Pastor Philip Powell presented the recognition and awards portion of the breakfast. Award Recipients included: • Dr. Betty Daniels OB/GYN, “The Gertrude Whetzal Award” • Dr. Gloria Fisher, “Beyond Boundaries Award” • Hardy Johnson (posthumously), “Trail Blazer Award” • Rikke Van Johnson, “Public Service Award” • Owusu and Johari Hodari, “Community Service Award” “When you have a passion for something, you just do it. I live by this, repetition easy, easy pleasure, pleasure often, often happy. When you do something repeatedly and you have a passion for it, it becomes easy. Easy is pleasurable and when something is pleasurable you’ll do it often. Often and it becomes a habit,” Johari Hodari said on her award. A musical expression interlude was performed by Saxophonist Jay Boykins. The keynote speaker Dr. Edward C. Bush, was introduced by his wife, Dr. Jenise Bush of the Emmanuel Praise Fellowship. Dr. Edward C. Bush is the president of Cosumnes River College in Sacramento. In his keynote address discussed the themes and ideals of the breakfast (justice and equality). The festivities concluded with a prayer for the community lead by Dr. Reggie Woods from Life Changing Ministries.