The City of Martin, UTM and the UTM Black Student Association (BSA) partnered in hosting the Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast and ceremony “A Celebration… Dream with a Vision, Live with a Purpose” Monday, Jan. 21, in the UC ballroom.
After giving away 300 tickets, the ballroom was at full capacity as students, faculty and community members joined together to honor King’s legacy.
David Belote, a Martin Alderman, welcomed the guests to the sixth annual celebration.
“The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday celebrates the life and legacy of a man who brought hope and healing to America,” Belote said. “We commemorate, as well, the timeless values he taught us through his examples, the values of courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, humility and service that so radiantly defined Dr. King’s character and empowered his leadership.”
“Today we celebrate the life and the faith of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as we strive to follow his example: dream with a vision and live with a purpose.”
Before the introduction of the keynote speakers, Jarvis Banks-Lee, a junior Music major from Ripley, accompanied by Danny Donaldson, UTM alum and optometrist at Eyecare Center of Martin, performed a soulful “His Eye Is On the Sparrow” and “A Change Is Gonna Come.” The pair received a standing ovation from the crowd.
The breakfast and celebration featured two keynote speakers, Tyra Hawkins, a senior Psychology major and previous BSA president, and Anthony Stewart, head coach of the men’s basketball team.
Hawkins spoke about how King’s work and current social injustices have led her to be more involved on campus. After reading the challenge, “Are you living or are you just existing?” on social media, Hawkins decided it was time for her to begin living and fight for those facing discrimination.
“It really made me reevaluate my purpose and it made me realize that I was really passionate about helping the black community,” Hawkins said.
Through social justice issues such as police brutality, Hawkins said she wanted to make a difference. “I have to do something. I don’t know what it is, but I have to do something.”
Hawkins became involved in the BSA, organizing events to showcase the talents, capabilities and concerns of the black community at UTM.
“Please don’t let this breakfast or Dr. King’s work be in vain,” Hawkins said. “We want to make sure we are actually going out into the community and doing these things that we talk about because we don’t want any of [King’s] work to be lost… We want to continue to push forward and do what it is that Dr. King would have us do.”
“Like he said, ‘The time is always right to do what is right,'” Hawkins ended.
Stewart has faced many adversities in his life but said three key quotes of King’s have helped him through many situations.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
“Dr. King had a vision of a society in which race was not an issue in how people were treated or in how they were allowed to live their lives,” Stewart said. “I as well as many in this room have been a benefactor of the love and commitment Dr. King gave his life for.”
Stewart credits his grandparents, who were apart of the civil rights movement, for saving his life and giving him a second chance. They shared stories of marching for their rights, being attacked and the challenges his grandfather faced serving in a segregated army with Stewart.
“The thing that I found interesting about all of these horrific things that they experienced, they witnessed, they were never bitter. They were never bitter, never angry, never hateful…” Stewart said. “How can you have the ability to love unconditionally like my grandparents, like Dr. King?”
Stewart said the most important thing he has learned through the teachings of King and his grandparents is how to be comfortable being uncomfortable in order to break down certain stereotypes.
Stewart began his career in transportation, specifically corporate logistics, a job highly dominated by white men, he explained. “I was always in these environments of being uncomfortable. No one looked like me.”
Stewart worked in corporate transportation for 15 years until he had the opportunity to coach basketball and truly enjoyed doing it.
“I got more fulfillment out of helping these kids who, in particular, looked like me. So I had to do some reassessing on my life, some reflection on my life. What is my purpose?”
Basketball was his purpose. “I love what I do and I am only able to do it because of what Dr. King did for me,” Stewart said.
“When I was in line to vote, I thought about Dr. King. I sometimes walk across campus, a nonsegregated campus here in the south in Tennessee, and I think about Dr. King. I use public transportation… and I tend to think about Dr. King.”
“We are all responsible for keeping Dr. King’s dream alive.”
As the ceremony came to an end, four awards were given out to members of the university and community. John Abel and Miguel Gutierrez were the recipients of the Alpha Award, David Barber received the Black Student Association Torch Award and Danny Donaldson received the Harold Connor/City of Martin Award.
The celebration ended as the entire congregation joined together to sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which was led by Banks-Lee and Donaldson.
Coach Anthony Stewart gives the keynote speech during the Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast and ceremony “A Celebration… Dream with a Vision, Live with a Purpose” Monday, Jan. 21. \ Photo credit/University RelationsÂ
