In the News
Dr. King's Daughter to Serve as MLK Dream Weekend Diversity Banquet Speaker
Greenville.com Community News
2006 marks a special year for Greenville, as the first year in which the county will recognize Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday as an official holiday. MLK Dream Weekend, January 13-14, 2006, is a community-wide celebration of Dr. King's holiday, representing his themes of diversity and empowerment. The weekend begins with a Diversity Banquet on January 13, 2006 at the Embassy Suites starting at 6:30 pm. Dr. Bernice King, the youngest daughter of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., will serve as the key note speaker. MLK Dream Weekend Empowerment Day activities will be held on Saturday, January 14, 2006 at McAlister Square from 9 am to 2pm.
The Diversity banquet is intended to attract a diverse audience and honor Dr. King by recognizing local unsung heroes who have made contributions to the Greenville area by furthering the work and passion that Dr. King exemplified. These individuals will be honored at the banquet and recognized as an MLK Dreamer.
Diversity Banquet tickets are $35 each can be purchased from the following outlets: Valley Brook Outreach Baptist Church, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Redemption World Outreach, BJ's Music and Lifeway Christian Supply. Empowerment Day activities are free to the public. All proceeds beyond expenses will go towards scholarships for deserving youth and funding for economic empowerment initiatives for the underserved.
Pastor Curtis Johnson, the founder and visionary of MLK Dream Weekend, commented, "The fact that we are able to have Dr. Bernice King join us during a time where it's nearly impossible for any member of the King family to slip away is remarkable and proves to me that the diversity banquet is intended to accomplish a great deal."
The organizers felt that securing a member of the King family would be too ambitious of a task, but engaged in the idea any way while simultaneously considering several other speakers, but felt no one was better qualified to represent the late Dr. King than an immediate member of his family.
Empowerment Day activities are free and include a health fair and blood drive, a job fair (in conjunction with Greenville Tech), a Kid Biz event and an Economic Empowerment initiative for adults. The Kid Biz designed for ages 13 - 18, teaches youth business basics of incorporation, taxes, payroll, financing, licensing and marketing and encourages entrepreneur aspirations. Youth are assisted with the development of a business plan that will be reviewed by professional bankers. Bankers will do a mock approval or denial of the plan and make recommendations for corrections. The winner will receive a $250 business grant and be partnered with a business mentor.
The Economic Empowerment initiative teaches adults a 10-principle curriculum that seeks to empower by changing attitudes toward money management, saving, investment and consumer strategies. It includes a Wealth Building Kit and Declaration of Financial Empowerment. The Kid Biz and Economic Empowerment initiative are organized in conjunction with the Urban League Young Professionals.
MLK Dream Weekend is a collaborative effort of church, business and community leaders. The purpose of this organized effort is to execute community-wide events that will contain King's themes of diversity and empowerment while honoring the legacy of Dr. King, to present the Greenville community as a culturally diverse and economically progressive area and to create new events as well as support current events scheduled during the MLK weekend. For more information please visit www.mlkdreamweekend.com or call 864-243-9305.