The unity of a community with a man’s ongoing dream
In remembrance of the man that famously stated, “I have a dream.” the Black Student Alliance and guest speaker Mr. Hasan Davis celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day with an unforgettable worship service in the Nutt Theatre at Maryville College.
The service served as a reminder to people that life is what you make of it. No one controls the direction of their path but themselves. Hasan Davis is a “Hope Dealer,” and he praised the ideas that he obtained from the wisdom of King.
The title “Hope Dealer” comes from Davis’ public speaking around the nation providing students with the tools of engagement, encouragement, and empowerment. Davis speaks publicly because he wants to see others succeed in life. He enjoys seeing young people do what they think they can do.
He also states, “Breathing life and hope in struggling communities is how [he] continues the legacy of King.” One of the ideas he expressed during his message was that not everyone around you is good for you.
Davis stated, “Change your friends or change your friends.” This meant attempting to assist your friends and learning to grow with each other, or find a new group of friends that will express a mutual growth of friendship and individuality. Not only did Davis attend the service with wise words about King, but so did Maryville College President Dr. Tom Bogart. He stated, “Every day we all publicly stand for the principles of King. With us being in the bicentennial year, [he] challenges everyone to look back on the messages of King and take that to heart.”
“Change your friends or change your friends.” -Hasan Davis
Bogart mentions that he continues the ideas of King by valuing people and trying to make others’ lives better. Bogart spreads those messages in the sense of stating, “All of us are different and created by God, but it is our job to appreciate those difference.”
As the president of Maryville College, he preaches daily that the college stands on the ideas of scholarship, respect, and integrity. These three ideas were foremost in King’s stance of equality.
Students have also shown impact of King’s notions. Black Student Alliance president Aaron Solomon stated, ”[King] paved the way for what I do, and the way Maryville College does treat all students, staff, and others.” This goes to show that not only does the college preach that it is about scholarship, respect, and integrity, but the students notice that school also practices these points.
Freshman Yana Macon said, “MLK Day is day for us to commemorate a man that expressed how we feel today, reflect on ourselves, and give hope to us that things will always get better.”
The love of MLK Day brought her to the event to keep King’s dream alive that we are trying to get better as a community.
Not only did the pupils of King attend the service to remind themselves of his beliefs and stance, they also gathered to worship God as King did. The service provided several songs from the Maryville College’s Voices of Praise Choir.
The choir consists of members from the community and students of the school that want to sing in the name of God. The songs played as transitions after each speaker said what they had to say.
A few of the other speakers at King’s service were Aaron Solomon, Yana Macon, Larry Ervin, and Nykia Johnson.