Every year, communities across the country honor the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with a day of remembrance and action. Fifty-two years have passed since the assassination of Dr. King, but his legacy continues to inspire those who champion equality and justice.
Hosted by the Cultural and Community Awareness Council (CCAC), PAH’s 2020 MLK Day Celebration brought together staff, visitors, and community members to enjoy program focused on hope, music, and reflection. In her keynote speech, Drexel University’s Lidyvez Sawyer, MPH, asked the audience to consider some tough, but crucial questions: “When we walk out of this space, how can we adopt racial equity in our professional and personal lives? We can start by normalizing discussions of race, racial justice, and anti-racism efforts. We can become comfortable with being uncomfortable, knowing that an effective conversation might be challenging.”
Jeff MacIntyre, Craig Hargrove, and Fred Tillmon also showed off their guitar, keyboard, and harmonica talents, respectively, and anesthesia technician Tracey King and patient care technician Tyrone Foster returned to the stage this year to give soulful solo vocal performances that brought every audience member to their feet.
“Thank you to everyone who made this year’s celebration such a success,” said Bonita Ball, MSN RN, NE-BC, CCRN-K, nurse manager and CCAC executive sponsor in her closing comments. “As Dr. King said, ‘You can kill the dreamer, but you can’t kill the dream.’ I encourage you to think about your own dreams for 2020 and to take the steps to fulfill them.”