BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday Monday was recognized at events around the region, including in Burlington and Plattsburgh.
The ECHO Leahy Center in Burlington hosted its annual celebration in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Monday, which would have been the civil rights icon’s 95th birthday. Those attending the event said his message still rings true.
“The fact that we can share this space together is a really beautiful and important thing that — 100, 200 years ago — You wouldn’t have been able to do,” said Kya Jackson, who helped teach an art class at ECHO centered around the reconstruction era, after the abolishment of slavery.
She says it was important for her to see others’ depictions of unity on King’s birthday. “It’s really exciting to see what unity looks like for different people. There are a lot of lighter hands with darker hands, which is obviously, is a very important element. Some people doing rainbows,” Jackson said.
The 12th annual event at ECHO allowed dozens to learn about Black history, encompassing music, travel, art, dance, and civil rights.
Kim Carson, Burlington’s director of racial equity, inclusion and belonging, says celebrating King’s legacy is important for remembering the roll he played in Black and American history.
“It’s really a celebration but also honoring his legacy. I think is is so complex and diverse. Civil rights, faith, you know, the man,” she said. And Carson says it is days like this that represent continued growth. “We should always strive for a continued process and progress. Do we have a long way to go? Yes, because the journey is never finished, right. So, I think the work that we are doing in the city of Burlington and the state of Vermont is powerful and impactful.”
SUNY PLATTSBURGH EVENT MARKS MLK HOLIDAY
Community members and local leaders gathered at SUNY Plattsburgh’s Newman Center to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Those in attendance took a community pledge to promote King’s idea of nonviolence as the main tool to fix injustice and inequality.
“As we reflect on Dr. King’s teachings and tireless efforts.. we are reminded that his dream of a more just and equitable society is one that still resonates with us all today,” said Jacqueline Madison, a member of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Annual Community Commemoration Committee.
The event included musical performances by the Plattsburgh High School Choir.
Two students from AuSable Valley and Saranac were also both awarded $500 scholarships.