Today Seton Hill celebrated Martin Luther King Junior's (MLK) Birthday. I know I know. It's a little bit late, but due to J-Term it was postponed so that a number of students could attend. The presentation was incredibly moving to say the least.
Marsha Pratt opening the ceremony with a few words stating that the presentation was being done in cooperation with the Theater Department here on campus, and many speakers as well. Pratt introduced Carol Calloway, Special Assistant to the President for Minority & Diversity Affairs, University of Pittsburgh, Greensburg, and Rabbi Sara Perman as the MCs for the presentation.
The opening by the theater department was amazing. I loved the beginning where they all came out and sang while inserting quotes from leaders of peace throughout the years including MLK. Throughout the beginning I had goosebumps and was close to tears until an soloist came onto stage. Her name escapes me at the moment, but she was SPECTACULAR! She delievered her song with such emotion that she gave my goosebumps goosebumps. The song was delievered in a powerful, heart and soul kind of way. The standing ovation she was received was well deserved and I think more should have stood. She was followed by a set of interpretative dancing that was well worth watching. One particular part that stands out in my mind is when Steve Clemens lifted Kaity Shields above his head. The dance definetly showed unity and the differences among people.
The theater department was followed by an introduction of Cindy Boland and Marilyn Fox of the Campus Ministry Department. The two showed us that there needs to be unity among everyone and they put together a very impressive slide show of projects done around the world and even in our own small campus community. With quotes from important figures they showed how our leaders have tried to promote unity among us and tried to inspire us to make the most of our lives by including the people around us. They finished up their portion of the presentation by asking the students present to come up with ways that we can help each other around campus and in our community. Students and faculty alike presented ideas like having general curtosy to the world, sharing a simple smile, and to have the courage to speak you opinion, but while speaking that opinion recognize that others have opinions as well and respecting those opinions as deeply as your own.
The presentation brought the people present together in such a way that I did not know was possible. I am proud to know that I live in a world that is making leaps and bounds above everything that happened in the past. I am proud that even though there are those who still have the mentality of the past that they are few and far between. I understand that we still have a long way to go, but I also know that we are moving toward a future where prejudice (I hope) will just be a memory of a dirty past always getting cleaned. I believe the presenters when they say that it is up to our generation and the generations following us to make the changes and sticking to those changes. We need to help our younger brothers and sisters, cousins, and friends to see that through them they can make a difference no matter how small a task.
I grew up learning that a simple smile can change the direction of a person's day. I will never forget when I smiled at an older gentleman in a store, who looked so sour and tired he was going to fall over. His reaction was confusion at first and then a smile replaced the frown he was carring. A few days later he died, but he died with a smile telling his family, who later contacted mine, that he could die knowing there was hope for the world because a little girl of nine smiled at him.
And so I close with a plea to my readers. Remember those around you. Help them in any way you can. The smallest and simplest of gestures are remember just as much as the large...
RIP MLK...You will forever be remembered.
Tiffany