RICHMOND, Va. -- For the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of people gathered in person at the Marriott in downtown Richmond to take part in the 45th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Leaders Celebration.
"This Commonwealth, our city, we’re experiencing so much that we can’t forget the importance of coming together, Black, white, Hispanic, Asian. Wherever you're from, whatever your belief, whatever your orientation," Virginia Union University President Hakim Lucas said. "Allowing the love that’s in that vision Dr. King talked about to guide us in how we will live in our community."
While the event focused on Dr. King and his legacy, it also honored the late Congressman Donald McEachin and Richmond Public School principals.
"We’re always looking for people who are unsung heroes, people who are living the dream every day but may not be seen, may not be appreciated, may not be recognized at the level we think they need to," Lucas said.
Reverend Dr. Howard-John Wesley, the Senior Pastor of the historic Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, was the keynote speaker.
He delivered a message about putting faith into action.
"There comes a moment when there's got to be more than your religion, there's got to be your politic," Keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley told the crowd. "There comes a moment when there's got to be more than your Sunday shout. There's got to be your Monday movement. At some moment, God shows up and says, 'I heard your prayer. Now go fight.'"
The MLK Community Leaders Celebration, hosted by CBS 6 anchor Reba Hollingsworth, will broadcast this Monday at 10 a.m. on CBS 6 (Comcast, channel 206 and Verizon, channel 466).
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