WORCESTER—The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Community Breakfast marks its 40th anniversary on Monday, Jan. 20, at Assumption University’s Plourde Recreation Center, 500 Salisbury St, Worcester. Founded in 1985 by Dr. George Storms Smith, a pioneer in education and civil rights activism, the breakfast has become a cornerstone of Worcester’s celebrations honoring King.
“We are extremely happy to be welcoming Dr. Smith and his wife, Sandra Spooner, to our 40th Anniversary Breakfast,” aid Phil Niddrie, co-chair of the MLK Breakfast Committee, in a press release. “Dr. Smith founded the breakfast to give Worcester an opportunity to celebrate the memory of one of the greatest civil rights leaders of our times. We are most grateful for his leadership,”
Keynote speaker Dr. Carter-Jackson, the Michael and Denise ‘68 associate professor of Africana Studies at Wellesley College and chair of its Africana Studies Department, has received national recognition for her work on Black history, resistance, and abolitionist movements. She is the author of “We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance” and the award-winning “Force & Freedom: Black Abolitionists and the Politics of Violence.” Her work has appeared in major media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic. In addition to her writing, she co-hosts the podcast This Day in Political Esoteric History and has been featured in numerous documentaries and news segments.
The breakfast also recognizes several students with MLK Scholarships, funded by the MLK Breakfast Committee’s scholarship subcommittee and annual golf tournament, as well as a scholarship supported by Quinsigamond Community College. Doors open at 7 a.m., with the program starting at 8 a.m. Tickets can be purchased online at QCC.edu/mlkbreakfast by Thursday, Jan. 16. After that date, inquiries about tickets should be directed to Anianjolice Oquendo at aoquendo@qcc.mass.edu.
Attendees are encouraged to bring a new, age-appropriate book related to King or the theme of diversity, which will be distributed to second and third-grade students in Worcester Public Schools. Tidepool Bookshop in Worcester is offering discounts on books purchased for this initiative. Alternatively, cash donations can be made to the Worcester Area Mission Society (WAMS), which will purchase books on donors’ behalf.
Community-based organizations will also be present at the breakfast to share information about their missions and seek volunteers. The event’s sponsors include Clark University, David Clark, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Open Sky Community Services, Quinsigamond Community College, Saint-Gobain Abrasives, UMass Chan Medical School, UMass Memorial Medical Center, and the YWCA of Central Massachusetts. Shuttle service for parking will be provided by the Worcester Regional Transit Authority.
In the spirit of service and giving back, several volunteer opportunities are available on MLK Day. Attendees of the breakfast are encouraged to bring a new, age-appropriate book related to MLK’s legacy or the theme of diversity. These books will be gifted to second and third grade students in Worcester and Fitchburg public schools.
Additional service activities will take place later in the day. From 1-3 p.m., volunteers can help assemble kits for foster children at the YMCA’s Greendale Branch or Central Community Branch. Each kit will include pajamas, a toothbrush, and a personalized message from the community. To participate, contact cpuleo@ymcaofcm.org.
Empowering People for Inclusive Communities (EPIC) also hosts volunteer projects, including decorating lunch meals for Meals on Wheels, creating activity books for children, assembling resource books for families, and making no-sew scarves. EPIC asks volunteers to bring travel-sized toiletry items and menstrual products for donation. For more information, email klinn@epicleaders.org.
The weekend’s events begin with a special MLK celebration service at Covenant St. Andrews United Methodist Church, located at 24 Hamilton Street, Worcester, on Sunday, Jan. 19, at 4 p.m. The service features guest speaker Rob Jones, followed by the unveiling of the Reverend Dr. Louis Bond Chapel and refreshments. Call 508-755-2321 for more details.
Charlene Arsenault can be reached at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org
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