Realizing the Dream – Page 2 – Community Affairs

Realizing the Dream Committee Announces 2022 Events and Activities

January 5th, 2022
in Realizing the Dream

by Diane Kennedy-Jackson
Publications Coordinator, Division of Community Affairs

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Realizing the Dream planning committee, consisting of representatives from Shelton State Community College, Stillman College, the Tuscaloosa chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and The University of Alabama are excited to announce the 2022 Realizing the Dream events and activities. “Realizing the Dream Through Kindness and Respect for Others” is the theme for 2022 events celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

On Friday, Jan. 14, at 6:30 p.m., the 13^th Legacy Awards Banquet will take place in the Sellers Auditorium of the Bryant Conference Center. At the banquet, The Hon. U.W. Clemon will receive the Mountaintop Award, Dr. Nahree Doh will receive the Call to Conscience Award and Carina Villarreal will receive the Horizon Award.

Attorney, journalist and television personality Star Jones will be the Legacy Awards Banquet speaker. Perhaps best known as one of the original co-hosts on the ABC morning talk show, “The View,” Jones is the author of “You Have to Stand for Something, or You’ll Fall for Anything,” “Shine: A Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Journey to Finding Love” and “Satan’s Sisters.”

Clemon is an Alabama attorney in private practice and a former United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. He was among the first 10 African-American lawyers admitted to the Alabama bar, was one of the first two African Americans elected to the Alabama Senate since Reconstruction and was appointed by Jimmy Carter in 1980 as the first African American federal judge in Alabama. He has devoted decades to breaking down barriers in education, government and the economy.

Doh is the associate director of clinical and outreach services at UA’s Division of Student Life Counseling Center. A licensed psychologist, she also provides individual counseling for students experiencing developmental and psychological concerns and has facilitated a workshop for international students to enhance their success and growth in the U.S. academic environment. She is known for her compassion for people and her commitment to equality, as well as her willingness to take the moral high road regardless of personal and professional consequences.

Villarreal is a 2020 UA graduate and is currently pursuing a master of social work degree at the Capstone. During her time at UA, she has served in a variety of leadership roles, including director of multicultural affairs in the Student Government Association and president of the Hispanic Latino Association. A student assistant in the office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, she is passionate about social justice, activism and promoting cultural awareness.

Gospel singer, songwriter, actress and activist Kierra Sheard will be the featured performer for the 2022 Realizing the Dream Concert on Sunday, Jan. 16. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. at The University of Alabama’s (UA) Moody Music Concert Hall. At age nine Sheard earned a Stellar Award for Best Children’s Performance for “The Will of God.” She honed her skills as a next-generation member of the multi-Grammy Award winning Clark Sisters and launched her professional solo career in 2004, gaining notoriety out of the box with her debut album, “I Owe You,” followed by the 2006 “This is Me.” Two years later came “Bold Right Life” and then 2011’s “Free.” Her latest single, “Something Has to Break,” a duet with her mother, gospel icon Karen Clark Sheard, hit No. 1 on two gospel radio charts, topping Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart and the MediaBase Gospel chart.

Realizing the Dream partner the Tuscaloosa SCLC will sponsor Unity Day activities on Monday, Jan. 17. The Unity Day march will begin at noon from the Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School. The annual Mass Rally will begin at 6 p.m. at First African Baptist Church. All Unity Day activities are free and open to the public.

Additional Realizing the Dream events will take place throughout the year.

In response to concerns surrounding the rising number of COVID cases as a result of the Omicron variant, seating for the Legacy Banquet and Concert will be limited to 50% of capacity for each event, allowing the celebration of the remarkable legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. while also addressing the need for social distancing. Concert tickets are $20. Legacy Banquet tickets are $30 for individuals or $125 for a table of 5. Dress is semiformal. Tickets will be available online at http://realizingthedream.ua.edu, beginning Thursday, Jan. 6, at 8 a.m.

Please note that UA COVID protocols in place at the time of the events will be followed at the Legacy Banquet and Concert. Additionally, those wishing to have their picture made with Ms. Star Jones will be subject to additional requirements of Ms. Jones: wear a mask covering the mouth and nose, as well as provide proof of complete COVID vaccination (one shot for Johnson & Johnson; two shots for Moderna and Pfizer). Proof of vaccination options include a completed vaccination card or a scan of said card.

For ticketing information, call 205-348-7111 or email community.affairs@ua.edu. For more information about Realizing the Dream activities and events, visit the website at http://realizingthedream.ua.edu, or contact Carol Agomo at 205-348-7405 or via email at community.affairs@ua.edu.

UA Announces 2021 Virtual Realizing the Dream Events

January 15th, 2021
in Realizing the Dream

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — “The show must go on” is one of the most familiar expressions in showbiz, and despite COVID-19, that is exactly what will be happening during the 2021 Martin Luther King Jr. Realizing the Dream celebration.

While the two most familiar components — the annual concert and legacy banquet — will not occur this year, other important aspects of this annual celebration will take place.

The theme for the 2021 activities is Realizing the Dream Through Justice for All.

Among the activities planned is the premier of a documentary that will chronicle the vision and aspirations of those who founded the event in 1990, as well as its impact on individuals and the community. It will feature founders and key officials from Stillman College, Shelton State Community College, The University of Alabama and the Tuscaloosa Southern Christian Leadership Conference, who will recount their experiences.

Through the use of current and archival interviews, the documentary will feature those who have been recognized over the years, such as Reverend Thomas Linton, former Tuscaloosa police chief Ken Swindle, attorney Cleo Thomas Jr., and our youngest award recipients, including former students Kendra Key, Fan Yang, Melanie Gotz, Quin Kelly and Emma Mansberg.

The Center for Public Television is partnering with the Realizing the Dream Committee to produce the documentary.

In addition, a new Realizing the Dream website will be launched featuring photographic images captured over the years, not only from The University of Alabama archives but also from individuals who have participated in the annual events. To upload photos, visit http://communityaffairs.ua.edu/realizing-the-dream-photo-submission/.

Realizing the Dream activities will continue throughout the year on a quarterly basis and may include guest lecturers and performing artists. Events will be hosted in a virtual setting early in the year, with hopes for in-person activities later. Event details will be announced as they become available.

Among those events is an essay and art contest focused on the 2021 theme, Realizing the Dream Through Justice for All. The contest, which will involve middle and high school students from Tuscaloosa and the surrounding area, is sponsored by the Realizing the Dream Committee, which seeks to educate and keep the Dream relevant to the next generation. Selected students will be asked to share insights about their work in an online setting on Thursday, April 8, at 6 p.m. Those students featured will receive special recognition, as well as earn funding to support this important work at their respective schools.

This year’s event date was selected for its close proximity to the time Dr. King, a brilliant writer and orator, wrote his April 16, 1963 Letter from the Birmingham Jail. His message that day, “… Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere …,” was both timely and timeless.

Information about contest criteria and submission is available at http://realizingthedream.ua.edu. The submission deadline is Monday, March 15.

The Realizing the Dream Committee is comprised of representatives from The University of Alabama, Stillman College, Shelton State Community College and the Tuscaloosa Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

The Tuscaloosa SCLC has recently announced its Unity Day events, scheduled to take place on a virtual platform on Monday, Jan. 18. The Unity Day Breakfast will begin the day’s activities at 7:45 a.m. Reverend David Gay will be the speaker. A car parade will begin at 11 a.m. Those planning to participate should place signs on their cars and line up at the Beulah Baptist Church and Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School parking lots. Concluding the day’s activities will be a rally program at 6 p.m., featuring Reverend Clarence Sutton Jr. as the speaker.

For more information on how to view the Unity Day virtual programs and participate in the car parade, please contact Reginald Kennedy at rlkkennedy@yahoo.com.

Dr. Samory T. Pruitt, vice president of the Division of Community Affairs at UA and a member of the Realizing the Dream Committee, said, “We look forward to sharing these important annual events with the public, even if we are unable to do so face-to-face at this time. Dr. King’s legacy is too important for us to let something like COVID-19 prevent us from continuing to recognize what Dr. King means to our campus, community and state. The show WILL go on.”

For additional information, contact the UA Division of Community Affairs at community.affairs@ua.edu or 205-348-8376.

The University of Alabama, the state’s oldest and largest public institution of higher education, is a student-centered research university that draws the best and brightest to an academic community committed to providing a premier undergraduate and graduate education. UA is dedicated to achieving excellence in scholarship, collaboration and intellectual engagement; providing public outreach and service to the state of Alabama and the nation; and nurturing a campus environment that fosters collegiality, respect and inclusivity

Committee Announces 2020 Realizing the Dream Distinguished Lecture Series

March 9th, 2020
in Realizing the Dream

By Diane Kennedy-Jackson
Publications Coordinator, Division of Community Affairs

The 2020 Realizing the Dream Distinguished Lecture Series, titled VOTE, Everyone and Everywhere, will take place Thursday, March 12, at 6 p.m. in Stillman College’s Stinson Auditorium, with voter registration and voting rights restoration education taking place prior to the event and beginning at 4:30 p.m.

All are encouraged to participate in voter registration if they are not already registered, to learn about the process for restoring their right to vote if applicable, and staying for the panel and discussion that follow.

The panel will feature representatives of The Andrew Goodman Foundation, as well as Dana Sweeney, Statewide Organizer at the Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice and a 2018–2019 Puffin Democracy Fellow with The Andrew Goodman Foundation.

At the height of the civil rights movement, Andrew Goodman joined Freedom Summer 1964 to register African Americans to vote. On his first day in Mississippi, he and two other civil rights workers, James Chaney and Michael Schwerner, were murdered by the Ku Klux Klan. The Andrew Goodman Foundation was created in 1966 by Robert and Carolyn Goodman to carry on the spirit and purpose of their son Andrew’s life. Today, the foundation’s work harnesses the legacy of courageous civic action to grow new leaders of change.

Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice is a non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to work to achieve justice and equity for all Alabamians. Alabama Appleseed is a member of the national Appleseed Network, which includes 18 Appleseed Centers across the U.S. and in Mexico City. Alabama Appleseed is also a member of the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law’s Legal Impact Network, a collaborative of 36 advocacy organizations from across the country working with communities to end poverty and achieve racial justice at the federal, state and local levels.

All are encouraged and invited to this free event, which promises to be an enlightening and inspiring discussion about the importance of exercising the right to vote. Come as you are and bring a friend.

The event will be hosted by Stillman College, a member of the Realizing the Dream Committee, which is comprised of Stillman, Shelton State Community College, the Tuscaloosa Southern Christian Leadership Conference and The University of Alabama.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Realizing the Dream Committee exists to raise consciousness about injustice and promote human equality, peace and social justice. It creates educational and cultural opportunities for growth, empowerment and social change so that every person may experience the bounty of life’s abundant possibilities. The Distinguished Lecture Series is an integral part of the Realizing the Dream activities in west Alabama.

Jonathan McReynolds Captures Audience at 31st Annual Realizing the Dream Concert

February 12th, 2020
in Realizing the Dream

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By Ashley Cunigan
CCBP Student Assistant

Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Jonathan McReynolds commanded the stage at the 31^st annual Realizing the Dream Concert on Sunday, January 19, as students and community members gathered to cheer the enthusiastic performance at Moody Music Concert Hall in celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Student representatives Harrison Adams, University of Alabama Student Government Association (SGA) President; Obi Bruno S. Ndubueze, Shelton State Community College Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society president; and Kylon Freeman, Stillman College SGA president, welcomed the audience and recognized Legacy Award winners Emma Mansberg, Chris England and Mary Allen Jolley, who received awards on Friday, for their services and achievements performed in the spirit of Dr. King.

Sunday night’s concert brought the weekend to its peak. Audience members were excited and eager for McReynolds’ performance. The Chicago native began his career in a college dorm room and has grown to become a distinguished artist around the world, receiving a Dove Award, a Grammy nomination and multiple Stellar Award nominations.

McReynolds captured the audience at the outset by singing his hits “Great is the Lord” and “Gotta Have You.” Audience members were impressed by the artist’s powerful vocals, clapping and cheering throughout the concert. “Not Lucky, I’m Loved” was a crowd favorite.

McReynolds, drawing on personal experience, shared that he doesn’t take all the credit. He said his songs are inspired by an authentic relationship with God. The audience was moved by his story and applauded the artist for speaking about his experience.

The energetic performer kept the guests on their feet the whole night. As he sang about faith and freedom, many lifted their hands with praise. McReynolds reminded the crowd that faith in God should frame every part of life, and testified that this is what he is truly about.

The Realizing the Dream Concert and Legacy Awards Banquet, whose purpose is to shine a spotlight on peace and unity that inspires us all to make a better tomorrow, is sponsored by The University of Alabama, Stillman College, Shelton State Community College and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Legacy Awards Speaker, Recipients Deliver Message of Hope

February 11th, 2020
in Realizing the Dream

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By Sophia Xiong
CCBP Graduate Assistant

Laura Ling, the award-winning journalist and author, delivered her encouraging life-experience story as keynote speaker at the 2020 Realizing the Dream Legacy Awards Banquet on January 17 in the Bryant Conference Center Sellers Auditorium before an audience of more than 400 guests.

Ling is the recipient of such prestigious awards as an Emmy, a national Edward R. Murrow Award and a Ralph McGill Award for her correspondent work.

Ling, who is the younger sister of Lisa Ling of CNN’s “This is the Life with Lisa Ling,” shared the story of being held captive in North Korea in 2009 while reporting on the trafficking of North Korean women in China. Ling and a colleague were detained by North Korean soldiers along the China-North Korea border were held captive for 140 days before being granted a special pardon and returning to the United States, thanks to the intervention of former President Bill Clinton.

In telling the story of her captivity, Ling focused on some small but shining moments.

In her own words: “One day, one of my guards had gone home to visit her family. When she returned, I asked her if she had a nice time seeing them. She said she did. But she looked kind of forlorn, and she said, I feel bad that I can see my family when you’ve been separated from yours for so long.

“Another day, I was sitting next to a guard who was crying. I had no idea why she was crying, but at that moment, I felt compelled to reach out and hug her. I knew that I could be taking a risk by reaching to a young woman whose job was to keep me prisoner. But at that moment, I just didn’t care. I reached my arms around her and embraced her. She immediately stood up, but she didn’t push me away. After a few seconds, I let it go. Then she offered me this very slight smile as if she appreciated that gesture. I also hugged her for selfish reasons. After feeling so alone, just that small physical interaction with another human being made me feel more alive.

“After learning about my sentence of 12 years in a labor camp, I was held in a room, crying uncontrollably. Another guard came to me, and she said something that I would never forget. ‘Laura,’ she said, ‘always have hope.’ These are women who were cold and mean to me when I first met them. They looked at me as their enemy, and I looked at them as perfect models of the North Korean propaganda machine. But I mention these moments because I do think that they are testaments to what can happen when people from enemy nations, on opposite ends of a spectrum — brown, white, blue state, red state…. What happens when we take that chance to engage with those we consider as different? We might find out how much we actually have in common. We may understand that shared humanity that truly connects us all.”

Ling also introduced her current work as a host on the E! Network. “Our report, which took us all across the country, where we met young people, was meant to let them know that there is hope,” she said. “Some of us here in this room maybe are dealing with our own personal obstacles that have left us feeling confused and alone, maybe even depressed. I think that we can all agree that we are living during a time of deep polarization. As Americans, we have faced tremendous challenges. Ethnic, racial and religious tensions divide us. The immense gap between the rich and poor continues to grow here in the U.S. and around the world. But no matter how difficult things get, we just have to, as my North Korean guard once told me: Hold on to hope. It will lead us through to brighter days.”

This year’s Realizing the Dream theme, “Through the Courage to Live a Life of Purpose,” aims to remind people that King’s courage laid a foundation that both empowered and served as a catalyst for others to do their part, long after his passing, as King’s quest for social justice continues.

Before the banquet, an informal meeting was held for students from Stillman College, Shelton State Community College and The University of Alabama to meet with Ling. During this time, Ling shared about her journey of how she became a journalist, as well as her recent work, which tries to reach out to the new generation through new forms of media, using podcast and other media, for example, as well as old media to tell stories in new ways to the digital generation.

Following Ling’s address, three individuals received Legacy Awards. Emma Mansberg received the Horizon Award for her all-around community involvement. Tuscaloosa city attorney Chris England, the first African-American in Alabama history elected chair of the Alabama Democratic Party, received the Call to Conscience Award. Mary Allen Jolley received the Mountaintop Award for her lifetime of promoting education and equal opportunity.

This was the 12th year of the Legacy Banquet. Previous speakers include network correspondents Byron Pitts, Juan Williams and John Cochran, newspaper columnist Cynthia Tucker, now Senator Doug Jones, and television and movie star Danny Glover.

UA Announces 2020 Realizing the Dream Banquet and Concert Schedule

December 19th, 2019
in Realizing the Dream

The 2020 Realizing the Dream flyer provides the date, time and honored guests of the banquet and concert.

View PDF of the 2020 Realizing the Dream flyer here.

By Diane Kennedy-Jackson
Publications Coordinator, Division of Community Affairs

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama is pleased to announce the upcoming 2020 Realizing the Dream Legacy Banquet and Concert.

The Legacy Banquet will take place Friday, January 17, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. in the Bryant Conference Center Sellers Auditorium, with the concert scheduled for Sunday, January 19, 2020. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. at The University of Alabama’s (UA) Moody Music Concert Hall.

The Legacy Banquet speaker will be Laura Ling, an award-winning journalist and author who has been recognized with both an Emmy and a national Edward R. Murrow award for her correspondent work for “SoCal Connected,” the hard-hitting news magazine series. She is host of the podcast “Everyday Bravery,” a series about finding the courage within ourselves to overcome our biggest challenges. Additionally, she has hosted two documentary series on the E! Network: “E! Investigates” and “Society X with Laura Ling.” Prior to joining E!, Ling served as vice president of Current TV’s journalism department and created “Vanguard,” the network’s weekly investigative documentary series. In March 2009, while reporting on the trafficking of North Korean women, Ling and her colleague were detained by North Korean soldiers along the China-North Korea border. The two journalists were arrested and held captive in North Korea for 140 days before being granted a special pardon and returning to the U.S. She documented her experience in the 2010 memoir, “Somewhere Inside: One Sister’s Captivity in North Korea and the Other’s Fight to Bring Her Home,” penned with her sister, Lisa. Ling is a service ambassador for Points of Light, the nonpartisan organization dedicated to solving social problems through voluntary service.

The featured guest for the concert will be gospel artist Jonathan McReynolds. His music began in a college dorm room in the presence of a few friends and has grown to Christian music’s biggest stage. “Life Music: Stage Two,” his second album, received a Dove Award, a Grammy nomination and multiple Stellar Award nominations. His latest full-length album, “Make Room,” debuted at No. 1 on Billboard Gospel. It has been hailed as his best work, earning eight Stellar Awards and two Grammy nominations. The Chicago native says that “Life Music,” which is concerned with showing others and reminding himself how the faith doesn’t just fit every part of life, but should frame every part of life, is everything he’s truly about. In addition to his musical contributions, McReynolds serves as an adjunct instructor at Columbia College, one of his alma maters, and is the founder of Elihu Nation, a nonprofit organization that promotes wisdom and has awarded $30,000 in scholarships. He earned a master of arts degree in Biblical studies from Moody Theological Seminary in 2015 and was recently named a new member of Mensa, an international high IQ society. Gospel artist Kirk Franklin, who was the featured concert artist at this event in 2017, has called McReynolds “the future of gospel music, “the freshest songwriter I’ve heard in years.”

The theme for 2020 events celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is Realizing the Dream Through the Courage to Live a Life of Purpose. The events are hosted by UA, Stillman College, Shelton State Community College and the Tuscaloosa branch of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

At the Legacy Banquet, Mary Allen Jolley will receive the Mountaintop Award, Rep. Chris England will receive the Call to Conscience Award and Emma Mansberg will receive the Horizon Award.

This year’s Legacy Banquet will also feature a tribute to Paula Sue Burnum-Hayes, Theresa Burroughs, Nimrod Quintus Reynolds and Ella Odessa Warrick, all previous Legacy Award winners who are deceased. While each of them led very different lives, their legacies are inextricably intertwined with one another Through the Courage to Live a Life of Purpose in advancing the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Concert tickets are $20. Legacy Banquet tickets are $30 for individuals or $250 for a table of 10. Dress is semiformal. Tickets for both events will be available online at ua.universitytickets.com beginning Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020 at 8 a.m. To purchase tickets in person, please visit the Moody Music Box Office Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020 through Friday, Jan. 10, 2020, from 8 a.m. to noon. For more information, call 205-348-7111 or email community.affairs@ua.edu.

Realizing the Dream partner, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, will sponsor Unity Day activities beginning on Monday, Jan. 20, 2020.

For more information about Realizing the Dream activities and events, visit the website at http://realizingthedream.ua.edu, or contact Carol Agomo at 205-348-7405 or via email at community.affairs@ua.edu.

Sharing Our Legacy Dance Theatre Performs for Realizing the Dream 2019

October 17th, 2019
in Realizing the Dream

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Photos by Charlee Lyu

By Ashley Cunigan
CCBP Student Program Assistant

Sharing Our Legacy Dance Theatre (SOL) is a performing group of undergraduate and graduate students that uses interdisciplinary art to bring powerful stories from the past to audiences of all ages. These students from the University of Delaware traveled to Tuscaloosa to perform and hold student workshops at Hillcrest High School Sept. 13 and 14. This event was part of the Realizing the Dream series, which also includes a concert, a legacy banquet and a lecture series.

Hillcrest High School students involved in band, choir, theatre or art were welcomed to the event. Tina Turley, executive producer of Theatre Tuscaloosa, greeted the audience, and in opening remarks asserted that the “arts are transformative and bring quality of life to our community.” The SOL Dance Theatre was able to educate students on racial history through a story told about Mary Ann Shadd Cary, the first African-American woman newspaper editor in North America.

“We want to focus on the stories of people who we haven’t heard of and showcase them through performance,” said Rachel Mariah DeLauder, SOL dancer. The story of Mary Ann Shadd Cary, who was born in 1823 in Wilmington, Delaware, was told through choreography that depicted her transformation in becoming a strong woman advocating for equal rights.

Dominic Yeager, director of Arts Management and associate professor in The University of Alabama Department of Theatre and Dance, expressed his gratitude to the performers. “The arts promote joy, peace, and unity,” said Yeager. “This is what we teach and mentor in our program.” Yeager also encouraged high school seniors to apply to UA and audition for the program.

Students at Hillcrest High School expressed their thoughts about the performance with the dancers in an interactive workshop. Dr. Lynnette Young Overby, artistic director for SOL, discussed how members conducted research about Cary’s life and how she has made an impact on African-American history. The SOL continues to collaborate with guest choreographers, composers and educational organizations to further enhance their productions.

The Realizing the Dream Committee is comprised of Stillman College, Shelton State Community College, the Tuscaloosa Southern Christian Leadership Conference and The University of Alabama.

Sharing Our Legacy Dance Theatre to Perform in Tuscaloosa

September 9th, 2019
in Realizing the Dream

By Diane Kennedy-Jackson
Publications Coordinator, Division of Community Affairs

Sharing Our Legacy Dance Theatre (SOL) will perform at Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 2 p.m. as part of the ongoing Realizing the Dream performing arts series. The performance is free and open to the public.

SOL is a performing group of undergraduate and graduate students that uses interdisciplinary art to bring powerful stories from the past to audiences of all ages. Created under the Community Engagement Initiative at the University of Delaware, the group is under the artistic direction of Dr. Lynnette Young Overby. SOL members conduct research on African-American history to add meaningful foundations to their performances and work with outside collaborators, such as historical researchers, guest choreographers, composers and artists, as well as educational organizations, to further enhance their productions.

Dr. Byron Abston, Associate Dean for Student Services at Shelton State Community College and a member of the Realizing the Dream Committee, noted that Shelton State has been a proud participant in the Martin Luther King Jr. Realizing the Dream annual celebrations for many years, adding that the partnership has provided many opportunities to learn from one another and share unique talents.

“Given that Shelton State has the distinct honor of being designated as the Alabama Junior College of the Fine Arts, and is home to the Sandra Hall Ray Fine Arts Center, the College has been a natural partner with the Realizing the Dream Committee,” said Abston. “Audiences have benefited from the collaborations with a wide variety of performing artists from all over the country. It has been a great opportunity for our faculty, staff, students and the entire community to experience these educational and cultural performances.”

SOL’s performance in Tuscaloosa will bring attention to Mary Ann Shadd Cary, the first African-American woman newspaper editor in North America. The production includes a multidisciplinary presentation of original choreography, music and poetry to portray her life and times. Cary was born in 1823 to a free family in Wilmington, Delaware. After editing the Provincial Freeman in the 1850s, she went on to become the first black woman to enroll in Howard University’s then-new School of Law. Despite her many accomplishments, Cary is relatively unknown.

“There are many untold stories of courageous African Americans who achieved greatness in spite of racial and gender discrimination,” said Overby. “Mary Ann Shadd Cary is one of those people. We are pleased to be able to share the premiere of this arts-based research project, Mary Ann Shadd Cary, Her Life and Legacy. We hope the performance will engage and inspire audiences of all ages to learn her story and pass the baton of empowerment to everyone they encounter.”

In addition to their Saturday performance, the group will perform and conduct a workshop for Hillcrest students on Friday, Sept. 13.

“The Tuscaloosa County School System is excited and honored to partner with the Realizing the Dream Committee to bring this performance to our students and to our community,” said Terri Brewer, director of public relations for the Tuscaloosa County School System. “This will provide a wonderful opportunity for our students to experience how the performing arts can convey history and a powerful message.”

Both events are hosted by the Realizing the Dream Committee, comprised of members from Stillman College, Shelton State Community College, the Tuscaloosa Southern Christian Leadership Conference and The University of Alabama. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Realizing the Dream Committee exists to raise consciousness about injustice and promote human equality, peace, and social justice by creating educational and cultural opportunities for growth, empowerment, and social change so that every person may experience the bounty of life’s abundant possibilities.

For more information, contact The University of Alabama Division of Community Affairs at community.affairs@ua.edu or 205-348-8376.

Social Activist Asa Gordon to Present 2019 Realizing the Dream Lecture

February 25th, 2019
in Realizing the Dream

By Diane Kennedy-Jackson
Publications Coordinator

Tuscaloosa, Alabama — Asa Gordon, founder and executive director of the Douglass Institute of Government, a Washington, D.C.-based educational think tank, the 2019 Realizing the Dream Lecturer, will present, “Realizing the Dream by Honoring the Voting Rights Legacy of the United States Colored Troops,” Tuesday, March 19, at 7 p.m., at the Embassy Suites, 2410 University Boulevard, Tuscaloosa.

In addition to his work with the Douglass Institute, Gordon serves as secretary-general of the Sons & Daughters of the United States Colored Troops (USCT). The organization is chartered by the African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation to augment the Foundation’s mission to use the national monument, The Spirit of Freedom (https://www.nps.gov/afam/learn/historyculture/index.htm), to honor the historical legacy of those who served in the USCT during the American Civil War.

A retired NASA astrodynamicist, Gordon has been published in international scientific journals and referenced in Ivan Van Sertima’s Blacks in Science: Ancient and Modern. His research has been employed by private industry, both domestic and abroad, for tracking satellites in space, and he served two terms as president of the Goddard Engineers, Scientists and Technicians Association.

Gordon’s social activism spans from civil actions in regard to democratizing the Electoral College, to constitutional penalty for voter disenfranchisement, to the 14^th Amendment right to vote provision, to addressing neo-Confederate culture in American politics. He is chair of the D.C. Statehood Green Party Electoral College Task Force.

In 2016, Gordon received the National Civil Rights Conference Civil Rights and Social Justice Award in recognition of his promotion of the post-Civil War voting rights legacy of the USCT.

This event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be available to guests immediately following the lecture. For more information and to let us know that you plan to attend, please RSVP to community.affairs@ua.edu.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Realizing the Dream Committee exists to raise consciousness about injustice and promote human equality, peace, and social justice by creating educational and cultural opportunities for growth, empowerment, and social change so that every person may experience the bounty of life’s abundant possibilities. The committee is comprised of representatives from Shelton State Community College, Stillman College, The University of Alabama and the Tuscaloosa Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Legacy Awards Banquet Recognizes Three for Servant Leadership

February 6th, 2019
in Realizing the Dream

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By Kirsten J. Barnes
CCBP Graduate Fellow

On Jan. 18, as part of this year’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Realizing the Dream celebration, ABC News “Nightline” co-anchor and Emmy award-winning journalist Byron Pitts delivered an inspiring address to an overflow audience in Sellers Auditorium in the Bryant Conference Center.

Since 1990, The University of Alabama has joined Stillman College, Shelton State Community College and the Tuscaloosa Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to celebrate King’s legacy. For the past 11 years this celebration has included the Legacy Awards Banquet, which features a keynote speaker and recognizes three community members who embody the servant leadership of King.

This year’s theme, “Inspiring and Encouraging Others,” was selected to motivate people to look for ways to serve, like King, through brave actions and timeless words.

Pitts transfixed the audience with his life’s story. He credited the faith, love and support of his single mother for his success, despite doctors having diagnosed him as a child as being mentally retarded and as one would never be able to live on his own.

“Long before I was Byron Pitts of ABC ‘Nightline’ and other places I’ve worked, I was a kid from east Baltimore raised by a single parent. My mother had her first child when she was 17 and she had me before she finished high school,” Pitts told an audience of some 500 people. “I didn’t learn to read until I was 12. I spoke with a stutter until I was 20, my junior year in college.”

Recalling how people reached out to him and his family, Pitts challenged the audience to get involved in service to others, especially children in need.

He credits his faith and hard work for being able to overcome these early problems, allowing him, as a network level journalist, to cover three wars, interview seven presidents and travel to 97 countries.

He also stressed the importance of education and service. “Whether you are children of privilege or children of the storm,” he said, “I challenge you as we honor three great men this evening and think about the legacy of Dr. King and all the men and women of that era that you find a way to be of service.”

Following Pitts’ address, the honorees received their awards. Quinvarlio S. Kelly Jr. received the Horizon Award for his all-around community involvement. Tuscaloosa Police Chief Steven D. Anderson received the Call to Conscience Award for helping Tuscaloosa become a safer city by building relationships among the police, teens and the community. The Rev. Charles Steele Jr., who currently serves as SCLC president and CEO, received the Mountaintop Award.

Quinvarlio S. Kelly Jr.
The 2018 graduate of Stillman College is active in his community spiritually, civically and politically and as an advocate for Child Abuse Prevention Services. Kelly focuses on empowerment by recognizing the value of diversity and different perspectives. “Being a student at [Stillman] has really opened my eyes to a lot of things. Schools like these really prepare their students for leadership.” Kelly gave credit to his alma mater for opening his eyes to opportunities for leadership and civic engagement. “We’ve gotten away from the values of respecting each other as individuals, as equal, and it’s something that’s gone on forever.” He promised to be part of a generation that makes sure each person they come in contact with knows they are equal.

Tuscaloosa Police Chief Steven D. Anderson
As a black police chief in Tuscaloosa, Anderson acknowledges being a recipient of the work of civil rights leaders like King and therefore encourages young people by teaching them to value life and take advantage of opportunities. “We have to get back to being civil with one other. I think we have lost our way as far as civility goes,” said Anderson, who has spent his entire police career at the Tuscaloosa Police Department. Anderson said the black community has too many who don’t value education enough. “They don’t place enough value on the things that people of prior generations fought and died for, so that they could have the rights that they currently possess,” he said.

Rev. Charles Steele Jr.
Steele is president and CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He is a former Tuscaloosa city councilman and Alabama state senator. Steele was cited for leadership that has led to community improvements in home ownership by minorities, drug prevention and treatment, and recruitment of new industry to Alabama. “Because of the human aspect of who we are, people are so competitive toward power and discriminatory practices. They always want somebody beneath them. They want somebody to serve them,” said Steele, who urged people to adopt the style of Dr. King — leading by being a servant to others.

For a full transcript of Byron Pitts’ talk, click here.

Category: Realizing the Dream

Category: Realizing the Dream