Jan. 17—As we enter a new era in American history on Monday, we would be wise to remember the following two sentences that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke in the auditorium of the University of Oslo, Norway, upon receiving his Nobel Peace Prize on December 10, 1964:
“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”
The New Mexico Martin Luther King Jr. State Commission and other related or affiliated organizations invite everyone to come together this weekend to reflect and celebrate Rev. King’s legacy of nonviolent protest and resistance, of love and unity, and to help further build on Rev. King’s dream of a “Beloved Community.”
This year’s theme for MLK celebrations, set nationwide by Bernice A. King — the youngest child of Rev. King and Coretta Scott King and the CEO of The King Center — is “Mission possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice, and Democracy in the Spirit of Nonviolence 365.”
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Statewide MLK events, coordinated by the New Mexico MLK State Commission
Various times, Friday, January 17, through Monday, January 20
Albuquerque, Clovis, Santa Fe, Grants, Las Cruces, Farmington, Rio Rancho, Hobbs
Many events are free while some are ticketed and require registration
nmmlksc.org
“Every year Dr. Bernice King sets a different theme,” says Beverly A. Gaines, acting executive director of the New Mexico Martin Luther King Jr. State Commission. Gaines adds that the themes always emphasize nonviolence.
“It is important that we all protect our freedom, that we protect our justice, and that we protect our democracy,” Gaines says. “But it is important to do that in a way that is not violent. And so, having this theme allows us to understand that no matter what is happening around the world and around the country, that we can all still come together in a spirit of nonviolence.”
The commission Gaines leads is a state agency formed in 1991 by the legislature to “develop, promote, coordinate, and review statewide plans and activities for the annual commemoration and celebration of the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.”
Gaines adds that the agency was created because the community at large agreed that there was then — as there is now — a need for all people in New Mexico and elsewhere to unite and continue the dream and legacy of Rev. King.
The commission’s MLK Dream Weekend in Albuquerque starts Friday, January 17, with the MLK Unity Candlelight Vigil from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. outside the African American Performing Arts Center and continues with events on Saturday and Sunday, January 18-19, ending with a breakfast.
Albuquerque is not the only city celebrating, Gaines says. “We also have events that we sponsor or support in Grants, Clovis, Roswell, Hobbs, Las Cruces, Los Lunas, and Santa Fe.”
Following is a roundup of related events. Note that although most events are free, a few are ticketed and may require registration.
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SATURDAY, JANUARY 18
The Clovis Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission hosts a scholarship breakfast at 9 a.m. in the Clovis High School Cafeteria. Guest speaker, former state judge Tommy Jewell, now retired, in 1983 became the first African American judge in New Mexico.
In Albuquerque, the MLK Commemorative March begins at 9 a.m. at the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and University Boulevard NE. A commemorative ceremony follows at 11 a.m. at Civic Plaza, the largest public space downtown.
In Hobbs, a “Food for All” event opens the town’s MLK Holiday Weekend from noon to 2 p.m. at Your Safe Space on East Humble Street, where attendees can gather, reflect, and share with others in their community.
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SUNDAY, JANUARY 19
The Sunday before the official MLK Day is for many a day of reflection, prayer, and conversation. Everyone in Hobbs, for example, is invited to the “Worship Together” event at 11 a.m. at the St. John Baptist Church.
Down south, the annual Rally and March at the Downtown Plaza in Las Cruces starts at 2 p.m.
The MLK Service in Albuquerque, sponsored by the Baptist Ministers’ Union, will be celebrated this year at the Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church on Avenida Cesar Chavez SE and starts at 3 p.m.
Also at 3 p.m., the Rio Rancho Faith Leaders Community Martin Luther King Jr. Program hosts a faith event at St. Francis Episcopal Church on Cabezon Boulevard SE. The keynote speaker in Rio Rancho is Bishop Christopher Keeling Sr. of Unity and Faith Ministries, who also happens to be a retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department detective.
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MONDAY, JANUARY 20
The Doña Ana County Branch of the NAACP is hosting an MLK Day Breakfast (ticketed) at 8 a.m. at the Las Cruces Convention Center. The keynote speaker is Patrick E. Stewart, the newly named vice president of New Mexico State University Foundation’s philanthropy and alumni relations.
The state commission’s own closing MLK Dream Weekend event in Albuquerque this year is the 29th annual MLK Breakfast (ticketed) at 8 a.m., hosted by Grant Chapel A.M.E. Church at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Albuquerque on Woodward Place NE. This year’s guest speaker is Marcus “Goodie” Goodloe, Ph.D., a leadership development specialist, MLK Jr. scholar, and author.
In Grants, the New Mexico MLK State Commission serves a free breakfast at 8:15 a.m. at the Cibola County Complex Convention Room, with activities including MLK trivia, the reading of essays, drawing contests, poster contests, door prizes, a scholarship, and a guest speaker.
The Four Corners Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service in Farmington begins with a free breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and a brief program to honor Dr. King’s legacy of action and hope, which everyone is invited to put into action with service projects that will follow the program.
In Clovis, the annual March and Rally starts at 9 a.m. at Potter Park. The march starts with a prayer at the King Obelisk and ends with a rally and fellowship at Legacy Life Family Church with words from Pastor Marvin Cox, who will speak to this year’s theme and on Rev. King’s second principle of nonviolence, which seeks to win friendship and understanding.
In Santa Fe, the local branch of the NAACP celebrates its annual MLK observance ceremony at the Roundhouse Rotunda at 11 a.m.
In lieu of an MLK breakfast in Rio Rancho, a Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Luncheon (ticketed) is at the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church (Fr. Andrew D’Arco Hall), from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guest speaker is Clayborne Carson, Ph.D., professor of history at Stanford University and director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute. Carson led the Martin Luther King Papers project that edited and published the papers of MLK.
Hobbs’ MLK Victory Walk starts at noon at the MLK Soccer Plex as part of a larger remembrance celebration. The program begins at 1 p.m. at Booker T. Washington School.
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