LYNN — The community gathered at the Knights of Columbus on Monday to celebrate the life and message of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the commitment the Community Minority Cultural Center brings to his legacy. Rev. Dr. Andre K. Bennett of the Zion Baptist Church was the keynote speaker.
Central to the preacher’s fullhearted speech was remembering the messages of unity MLK represented, especially “the power of the people is stronger than the people in power.” Underscoring this message, Bennett spoke out against President Trump and the contradictions he saw between the man and MLK.
Prior to his address, yesterday’s breakfast opened with a prayer from Reverend Cheryl Moore of Zion Baptist Church.
Throughout the morning, the packed hall was entertained with performances from In The Movement (I.T.M.) Step Troop, led by instructor James Runner; Foot Steps the Zion Baptist Church Liturgical Dancers; singer Thamanai Jeremie; and poetry from author Vick Breedy, including a reading of “Ego Tripping” from the late Nikki Giovanni.
In addition, the master of ceremony, CMCC Executive Director Darrell Murkison, introduced Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson to the podium, where he thanked CMCC and other important multicultural organizations that were attending the event.
He announced to the crowd several important steps the city has taken to reaffirm a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, including that the majority of city hall hires have been people of color and that the youth summer program has tripled in size.
Following his speech, Nicholson awarded a citation to the CMCC which noted that he “hereby extends his most sincere congratulations and his great appreciation to the Community Minority Cultural Center and recognition of your efforts to advance racial equity and your continued commitment to honoring Dr. Martin Luther King.”
Accepting the citation was President of the CMCC Board of Directors Roy Rhodes, who thanked the mayor and the city of Lynn for working with the organization.
“I just want everybody to know that in the next six to nine months, you’re gonna see a great transition on Union Street, and so just be prepared to witness the reopening of the CMCC,” Rhodes said.
Finally, Nadine Murkison introduced Bennett, listing off his roles in the North Shore, which includes service as the President of the Board of Directors for the Essex County Community Organization, sitting on the boards of Lynn Economic Opportunities and North Shore Community College, and working as the Pastor of Youth and Young Adults at Zion Baptist Church in Lynn.
His keynote address, which spanned over an hour, covered an array of difficult topics and hard truths that Bennett though he felt it important to voice, warned the crowd about from the get-go.
“I believe the irony of today, as we pause to celebrate and to reflect on the legacy of a man who literally gave his life for equality, equity, justice, and civil rights, our nation is simultaneously witnessing the installation of a leader who embodies much of what Dr. King stood against,” Bennett said.
In a room with multiple state and city dignitaries, Bennett was not afraid to espouse the importance of holding elected officials accountable and how it’s up to the community to keep positions of power in check.
Along with these energetic inducements to political involvement, he spoke on personal struggles in this country, like his hard-fought journey to finally becoming a citizen last year, his run-in with racial profiling by police and a recent experience he had at a job that was planning to hire him instead of a woman of color who had worked at the company for nine years until he gave up the position.
He also made impassioned appeals to the importance of voting, disparaging at the lack of voter turnout for former Vice President Kamala Harris this past November that led to President Donald Trump’s election.
“If you never remember anything that I say today, Dr. King says, ‘The power of the people, your power, it is greater than the people in power,'” Bennett said. “So all you young people, you have the power to bring about the change that Dr. King dreamt about.”
