Stirring speakers urged attendees at the Martin Luther King, Jr., Community Celebration on January 19, to take action – no matter how small – against injustice in the hopes of making positive change.
The theme of the 58th annual gathering organized by the City of Newton and the Harmony Foundation was “The Courage to Love Turns the Tides of Hate.”
Standing in front the audience in the nearly full First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton, the Rev. Devlin Scott said that while “the work of justice can feel heavy,” it is imperative not to give in to the temptation to disengage.
Acting as master of ceremonies, Rev. Scott reminded attendees of King’s famous exhortation to take action and persevere: “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
Mayor Marc Laredo and guest speaker the Rev. Dr. Eric Jackson of the Eliot Church of Newton gave rousing, passionate speeches on injustice, specifically calling out ICE raids against immigrants and the January 7 killing of Renee Good during protests in Minneapolis.
“This is a time of great unrest in our country,” said Laredo, who added that many of King’s dreams for the U.S. have not yet been realized.
“Newton must be different,” he said emphatically. “We must celebrate our diversity.”
Urging the crowd to commit to creating a more inclusive, more equitable and welcoming Newton, Laredo said, “We have the talent, the passion, the commitment to get this work done.”
Rev. Dr. Jackson urged attendees not to give in to “analysis paralysis” or conclude the fight for civil rights was a failure. He reminded the audience that “the work that came before you was never meant to be the finish line.” The struggle against injustice must continue and is nothing new.
“It’s what’s been under the surface all along,” said Jackson. “History says, we’ve seen this dance before. …We can’t sit this one out.”
He also encouraged people to stand up against prejudice and injustice since “participation is what breaks power.”
The All-City Troubadour Singers performed with David Herlihy, and Newton North singer Anna Tackie offered a solo performance.
Students take a stand
NPS Superintendent Anna Nolin introduced four high school students who stood in front of the large audience to share their insights and experiences.
Adriana Goncalves of Newton South told the audience that collective action is what’s needed and “meaningless words just aren’t enough.” She spoke about love not being the easy path, while hate and indifference can be easier, and love requires total bravery.
Newton South senior Cora Neate-Harris described speaking out against the lack of diversity on her beloved dance team. She told the crowd she did not want to remain silent and felt it was imperative to advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves. Saying that leadership requires bravery, Neate-Harris added that “King’s legacy lives on in everyday acts of courage.”
Isaac Barbosa of Newton North challenged people to speak not of their creeds but of their beliefs. He reminded attendees that love shows up in our deeds, in who we include, who we listen to, and who we refuse to leave behind.
“Dr. King’s message is still a challenge today. He tells us to stop being observers,” Barbosa said. “As we leave today, let us have the courage to cross the line that separates us and let’s actually talk to one another and make sure that in our lives love always gets the last word.”
Finally, David Whitter of Newton North reminded the audience that the courage to love means the courage to learn and then the courage to change. He highlighted SURJ Boston (Showing Up For Racial Justice), which he said “organizes white people to stand up for racial and economic justice by choosing to listen and have the courage to love.”
Shivangi Nadkar, 17, attended the King event for the first time, with her younger sisters and parents, as her middle sister Aneesha, 13, performed for the crowd with the All-City Troubadour Singers.
Shivangi, a Newton North senior, was particularly inspired by Neate-Harris’ speech. It resonated with her since “it’s harder for us [students] to make our voices heard.”
Praising the event, Shivangi’s father, Aalok Nadkar, said that “the speeches were very inspiring. There’s hope in the next generation.”
After lauding the students, Dr. Nolin said to the crowd, “May you choose courage over silence.”
The celebration concluded with all attendees circling the FUUSN sanctuary, holding hands and singing We Shall Overcome.
After the event, attendees gathered in the adjoining parish hall for the Community Resource Fair to explore nonprofit organizations so they could begin to put Dr. King’s call to action into practice.
