Speaker says King’s dream still far from unfulfilled
CALIFORNIA-Has Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream been realized? A guest speaker at California University of Pennsylvania says no – and many students agree.
T. Leon Williams delivered a powerful speech, “Shattered Dreams: What Would Dr. King Say Today?” in front of a large crowd of students, parents, faculty and staff in the Natali Student Center Monday at the university’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day program.
Williams, director of intercultural programs at Buena Vista University at Storm Lake, Iowa, moved the crowd to a standing ovation with his words of wisdom, encouragement and hope. He spoke as if he were King, giving a speech today on today’s issues.
Williams, who has been speaking for three years and studying the legacy of Dr. King for seven years, described a country in need of healing. Remembering the race riots and struggles of the 1960s, he took the audience to a “country indulged in violence, war, conspiracy and addiction.”
He urged the crowd, to listen, live, speak and love differently.
“Our lives must be our message,” he said.
He reminded people that it hasn’t been that long since America faced segregation, peace marches, brutal riots and struggle for the sake of equality. He said those who led the country in that struggle have been forgotten ,and so has their cause.
“People have fought and shed blood for us to have an opportunity to live as free Americans, and this is how we repay them. Our family structure has changed. We fought to vote and now, people don’t vote. How could King fight for our cause today, if we don’t show him our full efforts…We’ve adopted the attitude of the oppressor,” Williams said following his speech.
People in the audience seemed motivated and enlightened by Williams’ words, but everyone seemed to draw something different from his message.
Maya Adams, president of the Black Student Union, said she thinks Williams message might help to put an end to how people idolize musicians and movie stars.
“A lot of student don’t know their history as well as they should. We know more about musicians than we do about the people who had an effect on our history,” Adams said.
Others agreed with Williams’ that King’s dream has yet to be fully realized in America.
“We have moved forward,” said Raven Johnson, a CalU grad student, “but not at a pace that we should have.”
“I think many people have put that dream on hold in pursuit of other things,” said Crystal Rainey, a junior. “Economic and social status has taken over the attempt to realize the dream.”
Some believe Williams words were needed as a reminder to what direction people should be moving in for the betterment of their own communities.
“This campus needed to hear that,” said Chris Spradley, a CalU sophomore. “A lot of people forget. This should be spoken about more than just once a year, so people can remember the importance.”
Tyrone Talley, assistant director of admissions, said that he believes that Dr. King’s dream can be realized once people “really subscribe” to it.
“Some say (King’s dream) is a fad or has been commercialized, but once institutions start implementing and start living it because it is right and not because it’s required, then we may begin to see some progress.”
But the diverse crowd represented at the program was proof of progress in and of itself.
Chrissy Cornwall, a student at the University of Scranton, said she enjoyed the environment as well as the program.
“I enjoyed the diverse environment. It’s not as diverse at our school. I miss that,” she said.
Chrissy Cornwall attended the program with her mother, Sharon Cornwall, of Philadelphia. They traveled to CalU because their daughter and sister, Eileen Cornwall, a CalU grad student, received the first place award in the Martin Luther King essay contest.
Eileen Cornwall said her first place essay was on the same topic discussed at the program.
“Things have improved, but we’re not there yet,” she said. “There’s more work to do.”
Following his speech, Williams said he hoped to help people to realize there was still work to do. “I hope listeners gain and understanding of the different moral and social responsibilities in their community. I want people to develop a consciousness to serve others as an instinctive nature. (King) wanted this consciousness to be a part of you without thinking about it, to serve others,” Williams said.
The university will welcome Coretta Scott King to Steele Auditorium at 7 p.m. Jan. 28 when she will deliver the lecture, “An Evening with Coretta Scott King: The Importance of Her Husband’s Legacy and the Future of the Civil Rights Movement.”