January will be a month where the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission and the city of Rocky Mount, North Carolina pause to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through community events.
The events begin Saturday, January 12, 2019, with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission’s annual Oratorical Competition. Students in grades 6-12 are given the chance to verbally express themselves using Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy.
The upcoming oratorical competition themes are:
- “At the Center of it All (Hope, Love, Peace)” — Grades 6-8
- “Continuing the Journey” — Grades 9-12
Three-minute speeches will be performed beginning at 9am inside the theater at the Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences, 270 Gay Street, Rocky Mount NC.
Rick Glazier, executive director of the NC Justice Center, will serve as the keynote speaker for the 31st-annual Unity Breakfast that will be held on Monday, January 21, 2019, beginning at 7am, at the Dunn Center for the Performing Arts. The Dunn Center is located on the campus of NC Wesleyan College, 3400 N Wesleyan Blvd, Rocky Mount NC.
Glazier’s resume is extensive. He previously represented Cumberland County for seven terms in the NC House of Representatives. He also served as a visiting professor in Criminal Justice at Fayetteville State University for eight years, and has taught pre-trial civil law at Campbell University’s School of Law for the past 24 years.
The morning Unity Breakfast will precede “A Day of Service.” In past years, volunteers have served the community, via nonprofit organizations, by cleaning park and public spaces throughout the city, as well as lending aid to senior residents.
Said Human Relations Director Archie Jones:
“We are always excited about the start of a new year, providing everyone an opportunity to look beyond our differences and focus on the things that unite us as we strive for an inclusive community.”
Find out more about the state’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission on ncadmin.nc.gov.
The NC Justice Center is the state’s leading research and advocacy organization dedicated to transforming North Carolina’s prosperity into opportunity for all. Visit www.ncjustice.org for more information.
Source: Tameka Kenan-Norman and Jessie Nunery, City of Rocky Mount
