You
Welcome
Good afternoon.
All right.
My name is Vanessa McDowell,
Atlas and I am the CEO of YWCA Madison.
And I am excited to be here today with you all of you.
And I have the privilege and the honor of introducing a
governor who sees us all.
So help me welcome governor, Wisconsin governor, Tony
Evers.
Good afternoon, everybody.
And thank you, Vanessa, for that kind introduction.
It's my pleasure to help welcome you today to the Wisconsin
State Capitol for the 43rd and your tribute and ceremony
honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
To kick off today's program, I'd like to first recognize and
thank Dr. Overby and the entire 2024 MLK state planning group
for their hard work that went into putting on this tremendous
tremendous event.
I would also like to thank today's outstanding musical
performers and guest speakers for their participation and
role in making this year's ceremony memorable.
And to everybody here with us today are watching across the
great state of Wisconsin.
Thank you for joining us as we celebrate the life and legacy
of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
As one of the nation's oldest celebrations in the country,
I am honored to be able again to participate this year as a
governor.
Today we remember Dr. King's tireless fight for equal rights for
all people and reflect on how his legacy still lives on
across Wisconsin, across the country, and across the world.
The theme of this year's ceremony one day reminds us of Dr.
King's dream for our country that one day we will realize a
future where everybody is treated with the dignity and
respect that they deserve.
That one day we will be able to overcome the social and
cultural divides that divide us.
And that one day our nation will stand tall as a beacon for
equality where every individual and community is represented,
understood, and supported.
Not only are these sentiments what fueled Dr. King's fight for
justice over a half century ago, but these are values we share
right here in Wisconsin.
Still, as we celebrate what would have been Dr. King's 95th
birthday, we are also reminded that there is much work left to
be done to address the discrimination, the prejudice,
the inequality and injustice that are nevertheless deeply entrenched
in our society and institutions.
So what can we do?
Whether it's by investing in measures to address persistent
health disparities that exist in our state, or by fully and
meaningful funding in our public schools to ensure that every
student can succeed no matter of their zip code, or by connecting
the dots between access to affordable housing, child care,
transportation opportunities to advance in the workforce,
economic mobility and more.
We can build the sort of future we all want to see for our state.
In celebrating Dr. King, we recommit ourselves every day to
these important goals, defining the things that unite us rather
than divide us and to the values we hold dear.
I look forward to continuing this important work together in
2024 and beyond as we look to one day achieve that future that
Dr. King envisioned for us.
So thank you.
And now with that, it is my distinct pleasure to present this
proclamation, and I will find it right here.
Present this proclamation to Dr. Overby, recognizing today as
Martin Luther King, junior day throughout the state of
Wisconsin, and honoring Dr. King for his profound legacy and
lasting impact that still lives on in our state today.
Jonathan?
Hello, everyone.
Good to see you.
Hello, everyone.
Good to see you.
Well, I've got to get my script just once I get here.
You know, you folks brave these temperatures today, and I've got
to tell you, for 42 years, this has been about the coldest day of
the year here, I don't know, 43 now.
I don't know why.
It's not me, just in case anybody wants to know.
But I'm glad to be here because this look, when you look around
this room, everybody, this is the most culturally inclusive
view that you're going to get in this capital any time of the
year.
Come on now, let's get real.
Governor, First Lady Kathy, good to see you.
And I've got to just say this as we celebrate Dr. King's dream
that one day we will be free is that there's a good chance
when you look around this room, you're going to see someone that
looks like you.
Things like you comes from a place that maybe you come from.
There's a spirit of good community in this room that gives me
great joy, and I hope it does for you because this is a chance
for you to stand, greet each other in the spirit of good
community.
And maybe if you have a few extra dollars, you can share those
with somebody who looks pitiful near you.
Just look around, they have a sad look on their face, reach into
their pocket in the spirit of Dr. King and give them, all right,
just give it to me and I'll see that they get it.
Amen.
Would you stand and greet each other, and I want to thank our
music director, Maestra Reccome Grant, give us a little
celebratory music to kick off today's program.
The audience is very nice.
Do it again, Maestra Reccome.
That's wonderful.
Thank you.
All right.
Today's program includes more music by the Mariachi
Huvannell Grande's Lagos ensemble with conductor Maestra,
if you will, de Nora Marquez, give them a big round of applause
for opening our program today.
And our, oh, they look good.
The Chicago Mass Choir.
They got up at, okay, really early.
And they made it here.
This is her third time being here.
They're going to bring you music a little bit later on.
And that's a long distance to travel.
We have people coming from Milwaukee, Chicago,
northern Wisconsin to be here and you here today
gathered to celebrate the spirit of Dr. King.
Dr. King said that justice is best served in the spirit of love,
correcting everything that stands against love,
and we have much to correct.
These pointed words authored by Dr. King,
they should inspire us all to action today,
to reduce our negative perceptions of each other,
and to reach out, figuratively speaking across the aisle,
to reduce fear, which is gripping our nation,
indifference, and this deep-seated hatred for people
just because they look different.
This has got to stop.
So I say to you today, let us celebrate each other
in the spirit of Dr. King.
As we, the people of Wisconsin, gather to celebrate not only him,
but those that have suffered from the shackles of hatred,
marginalization, people who are immigrants who want to come here
because they see a better opportunity.
Women who are still trying to crack the glass ceiling,
we must shed this fear of resentment for those who want to love somebody
just because they want to love them.
So I say to you all today here in Wisconsin,
as Dr. King said, let us develop and maintain a spirit of love.
Amen. Amen.
All right.
And now, if you would please remain seated as flutist Frank Montano
offers today's invocation.
Mr. Montano is a red cliff tribal member.
He's a performing artist, a flute maker.
He's dedicated to preserving the traditional values
of indigenous First Nation people of our great state
through storytelling and teaching.
Here is Frank Montano.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
I'm sorry.
Thank you.
First door, please.
Let's talk later on.
I may not be honest.
See you again, keto.
Let's hide in the grass.
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Thank
And now I invite you to stand as we take a moment to reflect on the tragic end of Dr King's life at the tender age of 39 he and so many other gave their lives
that one day we who stand here would be free.
We're joined by the Joint Army Air Color Guard,
Prince Hall Masons of Wisconsin,
and the second Ismian Highlanders
who honor those who pay tribute
for freedom and justice with their lives.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Now do you know the home and birthplace of traditional gospel music?
Do you know where that is?
I do.
And I'm delighted that we're not only going to get a taste of it
but some real soul food today from the Chicago Mass Choir.
Please give them a big hand with Dr. Coranda Williamson
leading this organization for so many years.
Give it up for them.
Chicago Mass Choir.
Thank you very much.
good job for life.
How do you enjoy it?
Where do we go?
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That's all right.
Say, fellas, give me a little instrumental of the guys.
Yeah.
All the guys in the band want to thank you for playing today,
for being here, getting up so early.
I appreciate you.
And y'all good.
All right.
Chicago Mass Choir, they will be back.
It's time for the first presentation of the 2024 MLK Heritage
Award.
Lisa Jones is the recipient this year.
And she is the executive director and the lead organizer
of Milwaukee Intercity Congregations, Allied for Hope,
or MICA.
It's a multiracial interfaith organization
committed to addressing justice issues
in the community of Milwaukee.
That's my hometown.
So this is work to be done, I know for sure.
I love Milwaukee.
And go, yeah, that's all right.
I went to Rufus King High School.
Where did you go, sir?
Where did you go?
What school?
Did you go to high school and then walk anybody?
Milwaukee Tech.
What?
Milwaukee Tech.
Oh, I can't talk to you.
I'm sorry.
Let me go with the program.
Anyway, back to Sister Jones.
Sister Jones, she works diligently in all avenues of her life
for racial justice and equality at both her local church
with a forum series titled Conversations on Race.
And in the Milwaukee Metro area as the co-chair of Red
Racism in Milwaukee.
I thank her for being here today and for her good work
and for her mission to secure alternatives
to just sending folks to jail when there could be
some other pathway to their recovery and their rehabilitation
if you will.
So it's my pleasure.
Come on.
On behalf of the Office of Governor Tony Evers,
I am pleased to announce that Lisa Jones is recipient
of the Wisconsin 2024 MLK Heritage Award.
Wow, thank you so much.
Governor Evers and the selection committee
and those who nominated me.
I was like, where did you get that description of me
and all the things that I've done?
But somehow someone knew me and I really appreciate that.
This reminds me of the lessons that my parents taught me.
My mother's no longer here with us,
but I remember sitting with my mom and dad
watching Tony Brown's journal.
How many people remember Tony Brown's journal?
And all the justice work and all the things.
And so it really formed me in who I am.
And so I am grateful for the work that God has called me
to do in this faith lane representing
the faith community for beloved community
for an oppression-free world.
I am so grateful for that.
And I know that God keeps calling all of us.
And I know that this is Micah's 35th year in 1988.
Clergy came together to create Micah.
And so for 35 years, Micah has been
doing this racial justice work in Milwaukee
and by extension of the state and the United States.
And we're an affiliate of wisdom.
And that theme today, one day, one day,
I believe in that one day.
Because Dr. King believed in that one day.
He believed in an oppression-free world
where we are all healthy.
We are all spiritually and mentally healthy.
And we have everything we need.
So maybe there will be one day where
we don't need food pantries.
Because everybody will have the food that they need.
Everybody will have a job.
We can find we will have alternatives
to all these systems of oppression.
And I would just like to leave you with just a couple of quotes.
And this is where one of the best quotes I remember
and why I do this work.
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
So when your sibling is hurting, that means you hurting too.
And then this is one of my best quotes I love from him.
And he said this, if you lose hope somehow,
you lose the vitality that keeps moving.
You lose that courage to be.
That quality that helps you go on in spite of it all.
And so today, I still have a dream.
Let us all remember to keep answering Dr. King's call
that one day, one day, we can get to a permanent beloved
community without oppression.
One day.
Thank you.
Well, from Milwaukee.
Once again, here's the National Award-winning Latino
Art Strings Program established at the United Community
Center in Milwaukee, created and directed today
by Danora Marquez and designed to serve as a pre-college music
training program for Latino students.
And it provides them with instruments, music materials,
individual lessons, small group, and larger orchestras.
And this mariachi ensemble is one of the finest
to come out of our country.
Maestro Marquez now leads once again the mariachi
of the Hovanil Grande's Lagos.
Please give them another welcome.
Thank you.
It is time now for the presentation of our next MLK Heritage Award.
Since 2012, Dr. Daniels has led growth, innovation, and accessibility to Madison College.
His tenure includes completing the build out of Madison College's campuses, instructing
the Goodman South Campus, increasing creative partnerships to benefit students, establishing
a corporate training center, and creating Madison College's STEM Center, and many other
wonderful contributions of building places where people can go to learn.
He's created more of a welcoming climate on campus and increased the faculty of color.
This is a part and a small part of his rich legacy of service to this community.
On behalf of the Office of Governor Tony Evers, I am pleased to announce that Dr. Jack E.
Daniels III, President of Madison College, is a recipient of the Wisconsin 2024 MLK Heritage
Award.
I am speaking on behalf of Dr. Jack E. Daniels III.
First, thank you for the 2024 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Heritage Award.
I'm so sorry I'm not able to be with you this afternoon.
I'm deeply honored and appreciative of this recognition.
I share this recognition with every aspect of our community and Madison College.
I'm thankful to this community for its support, providing critical input, and friendship.
But what is key is our collaborative efforts to make change.
Collaboration is best to make critical change, and keeping us accountable is key to ensuring
that the change, evidence itself, and is sustainable.
My focus, since I arrived over ten years ago, is to understand the community need and institute
key interventions to meet the need.
Although many see Goodman's south campus as an expression of meeting that need and deservedly
so, it comes through loud and clear the success of our students that we do listen to the community
and respond in a way to acknowledge and respect their needs.
This has been the greatest accomplishment, listening, and respecting the needs of every
touch in our 12 county area.
And it couldn't have happened without community support and a college that is focused on serving
communities and the needs of all students.
It would also not happen without the support of our board.
The leadership of my stand-in today, Francis Hunt-LeCouper, who has provided board leadership
the majority of my tenure.
I truly accept this award on behalf of everyone in this community who commit themselves to
making critical change in our community to improve the community's quality of life, with
the defined intention to engage each and continue to make interventions that make this community
and the state better in addressing its needs.
Thank you, Dr. Daniels.
Now, before we move on, I don't know if you know who that was.
I should have introduced her, but I assumed everyone knew Francis Hunt-LeCouper.
Most black male in the state of Wisconsin.
Yeah, and just a little history for you, or should I say, her story, she is the first African-American
mayor woman in the state of Wisconsin.
Just mayor, just she wanted to make sure that it's right.
I know I'm going to hear about that later.
Well, as we move on, they're here.
They look good.
Yeah, who is it, Lord?
What is it?
Let me just introduce, because you're messing up.
All right, so let me just say that it's all right to clap your hands.
It's all right to stand, because we have the Chicago mass quiet in the house.
I am a believer in Jesus Christ, and I'm going to tell you right now.
I'll be standing and clapping.
I go to Mount Zion Baptist Church, and you about to hear from our pastor.
So we about to set it up.
All right, so Chicago mass quiet, bring us on in.
Happy hands, everybody.
Come on.
Happy hands, everybody.
Come on.
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Say it again, I don't have to worry
I'm' Eyed when I ask for peace in it
Say it again, I know I'm at the worried
Yeah.
I'm'eyar
I don't have to worry
I'm'eyar
I don't wanna live
Yeah.
Throw that to your right
Put that to your right
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right, we'll be right, we'll be right,
we'll be right, we'll be right, we'll be right, we'll be right, we'll be right, we'll be right, we'll be right
I heard about how he raised the day, he used to wonder.
He used to find out, come on.
He'd find out.
Yes, I heard about how he called the city.
He is the one.
Go.
I can't do it.
He is the one.
He is in the one.
He is a.
He is little.
He is the one.
Oh, oh, oh.
He is a Trying man.
Oh, ooh, oh, oh.
He is the one.
The one.
I heard about how he raised the day.
He is the one.
Come on.
Yes, sir.
I've heard of God.
How He calls us.
He is the one.
Yes! Yes!
Yeah!
Yes! Yes!
What will I try my hands for?
M.L.K.
I said, give my hands for M.L.K.
Come on.
We're talking about Jesus.
Let's call the living God.
Come on.
He's the one.
He's the one on you.
He's the one.
He is the one.
He's the one.
Me.
He's the one.
Yeah.
That's their new single.
He is a wonder.
They're brand new singers.
Yeah.
Sister Williamson, I asked y'all to take us to the mountaintop.
I didn't say nothing about heaven.
You went there and it was wonderful.
Thank you, musicians, singers.
Thank you very much.
Appreciate you.
And they look good, too, don't they?
All right.
It is time to introduce our guest speaker today, the Reverend Dr. Marcus Allen, senior
pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church, Madison, Wisconsin.
Sister Allen joined Mount Zion in October of 2016 after serving honorably in the United
States Army for over 10 years.
During his military service, he completed three.
I said three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and received the Bronze Star Medal, one of
the highest military honors awarded in the United States Armed Forces for their members.
He earned us.
Go ahead.
That's all right.
He earned a doctorate in ministry from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and a masters
of divinity from Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University.
He serves, in many ways, adjunct professor at the University of Dubuque Theological
Seminary School, president of the African American Council of Churches.
And he and his wife, Tara, who I have personally heard and referred to her, not only as his
wife, but his girlfriend, say, I'm telling the truth, I've heard it and I just wanted
to repeat it publicly.
They have three beautiful children, Alexandria, Makaya, Marcus Jr., and there's much more
to say, but he asked me, he said, Dr. O, why, why me?
And I just said, it's your time.
And I now ask you to welcome the Reverend Dr. Marcus Allen C.
The earth is the Lord and the fullness thereof, the world and all day that dwelled therein.
For he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.
Lift up your heads, O you gates, lift up you everlasting doors, and the King of Glory
shall come in.
Who is this King of Glory, the Lord of hosts?
He is the King of Glory.
He accounted a privilege and an honor and a joy to be before you today.
I want to say thank you to Governor Evers and First Lady Evers, and to all the government
officials who are here today, especially Sheila Stuffs, amen.
She has been a wonderful host for us.
And she's a representative for where our church is located.
To all the dignitaries who are here on the day is God bless you, to Dr. Jonathan
Overby, thank you for allowing me to be the keynote speaker of this wonderful event.
I am grateful to be able to serve the best church in the world, Mount Zion Baptist Church
here on the south side of Madison.
Thank you all so very much for being with me today.
And if you hear a lot of yelling from this side, I'm pretty sure it's coming from my
mother, amen.
She is my super hero.
I am because she is, and so I'm so thankful for her, amen.
Give my mom a big hand after a phrase, amen.
My mother-in-law Connie Cook is here with us.
My aunts are here.
My brother, my niece, my cousins, what are we over there, amen.
They're here with us on tonight, and I am so grateful for all my family, friends, pastors
and colleagues.
Thank you so much for being here.
To the love of my life, my girlfriend, amen, on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and my wife
Monday through Thursday, Ms. Tara Allen, amen.
Thank you for your continued support and the love and what you give me to be the best
man that I can hope to be.
To my oldest daughter, Alexandra Jones, she is not here with us tonight.
She had a baby, amen.
She had a baby on Wednesday, and so I'm going to try my best to spoil that child, amen, as
a grandfather.
That's why I wanted to be called, not Paul Paul, not G-Paw, called me Grand Daddy, amen.
And to MJ, Marcus Jr., my only begotten son, who I am well pleased and to my baby girl
who is super talented, Ms. Makaya Allen, amen.
Thank you all so very much for being here and supporting.
When I became the pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church in October 2016, January 2017, I was
invited to this event by Dr. Overby to attend.
I was under the assumption that it would be a meeting in a small conference room with
only a few people in attendance.
It was very slippery outside because of the ice on the ground, so somehow this is normally
the coldest day.
And so I took my time getting here.
When I arrived to the second floor, I was shocked to see how many people were in attendance.
The thing, the Delta ladies, amen, the Delta ladies were the ushers and many of them are
members of my church and because I was here in the nick of time.
They were able to get me directly to my seat.
And so I want to tell them thank you and to Carla and Clyde, they've been our host these
last couple of days.
I want to say thank you to them.
You let me commend the state of Wisconsin for being one of the first to honor this giant
of a man.
The liberator of our people, the John Drum major for justice, the Reverend Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. and has continued to honor this hero for 43 years, no matter who has
been the governor of this state.
Give yourselves a round of applause.
Around 2014, my wife and I were debating where should we move because we had small children
and our children needed a grandmother to help us raise them kids.
And while attempting a conference I was informed in Virginia that Mount Zion Baptist Church
was looking for a pastor, I applied and somehow I became the pastor of this great
church.
When I arrived, I was informed that Mount Zion has always been a pillar in the community
for African American people.
This church has been around and may it would be 113 years.
The church's voice has been amplified when it comes to social justice and demanding social
equality for all.
Matter of fact, Dr. King's father visited Mount Zion and when Bishop Desmond Tutu came
to town, Mount Zion was one of his stops.
In 1960, the church was asked to move from Johnson Street to Fisher Street where it now
resides.
And it is said that Pastor Dawson, who was the pastor at that time, told the mayor that
he desired for the church to be in the heart of the community.
If you know where we are located, you will agree because we are not off a main road.
We are tucked in by Penn Park, but our love for the community radiates and illuminates
our area by providing help, aid, and support to anyone who is in need.
For over 30 years, we've had a food pantry feeding families.
For over 20 years, we've had an academic learning center where we've provided kids and grades
kindergarten through fifth grade with educational support and attempt to close what Dr. Gloria
Lassen Billings called the opportunity gap with our black students.
Last year, we were extremely proud of Dion Johnson Jr.
For days, he came to our ALC and our staff worked with him and he did an amazing job
reading that I have a dream speech confidently, boldly, and proudly, and many of us stood
with tears in our eyes.
As we knew how far he had come from, and 2020, when the pandemic happened, we may have closed
the doors of our church, but our church, we went to work.
Our food pantry was in overdrive.
We took food to families that surrounded our church.
We opened what we called the school without walls, allowing students to come to the church
and use our Wi-Fi, and we provided them with tutors to help them with their classwork.
We partnered with the county, Dane County, to lead a mentorship program to help children
youth who are aging out of foster care.
And we opened our facility to our older adults to come and socialize and learn how to use
computers.
In October 2020, we partnered with a Nises family therapy, and now we have a free drop-in
behavior health clinic at our church.
October 2021, we started a program that we call TRY, transforming and reaching our youth,
where we go into the juvenile detention center and provide direction, motivation, and mentorship
to the children who are there.
We've also partnered with the Badger football team in which they send their football players
to go with us to talk to these youth.
Our design is a church of action, love, and justice.
And due to our programs only being supported and funded by the generosity of our members,
we decided to start MTZ Charitable Organization, which is a separate 501c3 that we formed in
order to pursue more funds that we may have a greater impact in our community.
In 2020, we paid off the mortgage of our church, amen, and our church is now debt-free
and black folks, fully owned one of the largest buildings on the block.
And currently, we are starting a capital campaign to build a family life center on the south
side of Madison to be able to house our programs and better serve the Madison community.
Again, I am excited to be the speaker of this event today.
And as I received the theme for this event, I was torn as which way to talk about it.
I believe that the theme of One Day is a powerful statement, but it depends on how it is presented.
One Day can be what I call faith talk, where you are expecting something great to happen
one day, and your actions today are pushing you towards that one day.
Or One Day can be deceptive talk, which causes you to settle for what you receive today because
you suggest I will get it one day.
One day can be used as a vision caster for something greater, better, or more beneficial
for your life, or one day can lead to apathy where you become satisfied with the results
of today and fail to prepare for that one day.
I believe for some, One Day has paralyzed our ability to produce justice, equality, and
freedom.
We have settled for the crumbs of today expecting things to get better one day.
We have decided that the work of a better day is too hard for today, so we put it off
as a distant hope and declare we will get it right one day.
This type of understanding of One Day has crippled many communities who have leaned and
depended on the promises of leaders who told them that one day, but it seems as if One
Day continues to drift farther and farther away, the promises of equality and education.
But yet, still, black children are learning at the same rate at their counterparts.
I know that there are different contributing factors to this, but for the longest, no one
was able to explain to me why.
A few years ago, I was a guest speaker at one of our high schools, and I asked the
students what did they think was the reason for the 2019 Ford exam results.
Well, only 9% of black children were proficient in math.
One child raised her hand, and she suggested it's because when Lajani needs help, the
teacher takes time to give him the help he needs, but when Pookie is in need, he does
not get the same support, and then he acts up and then he's kicked out of class.
But in educational justice for many, we declare we'll get it right one day.
The promises of health care improvements may have been explained as One Day.
A few years ago, as I was in a class at Marquette University, receiving a certificate in pastoral
leadership and cultural context, and the instructors invited the president of the Children's Hospital
and Milwaukee, she stated that in Milwaukee, if you move 10 blocks, your life expectancy
gains 8 to 10 years.
In April 2020, my mother was severely sick.
This was at the onset of COVID-19 when no one really understood what was going on.
No testing was available, and the hospital was trying their best to keep people from overcrowding
waiting rooms.
My mother called 911 because she couldn't breathe, had a temperature of 103, and had
a bad cough, but after being examined by the paramedics, they left her in her home and refused
to transport her to the hospital.
It's a shame that I had to call on everyone I knew in power just to get my mother some
medical aid.
And it made me even more upset because as I was on a Zoom call with a clergy person
from a condiment walk, she informed me that she only had a mild cough.
She called her primary care, and they gave her a test immediately, and my mother couldn't
breathe, but she couldn't get any type of medical support.
And I wonder was it because of her zip code, but many would just say, we'll get it right
one day.
It pains me to know that some African-American service members who stood on the battlefield
for the sake of the freedoms of this country and the flag came back home not to parades
and celebrations, but to lynching trees, racism, and hate.
They had earned benefits for housing, but were unable to buy homes where they wanted
to.
And unfair housing practices has crippled the African-American community from gaining generational
wealth in this country.
To this day, banks are still using these unfair practices by either denying black people
from getting loans or charging them higher interest rates than white counterparts.
Yet, and still, someone is proclaiming the theme of today, one day, we'll get it right
and tell us to settle for what we have, and hopefully we'll get it right one day.
It's a shame that society has become more concerned about offending white students
when teachers teach about the cruelty and unfairness and inequality black people have
endured in this nation.
It's pitiful that I was never taught in public school about Black Wall Street where in Tulsa,
Oklahoma, black people were self-sustained and wealthy, and they witnessed the first
notorious group to attack and bomb America's in Americans in America, and it is ridiculous
that people are attacking diversity, equity, and inclusion, but refuse to implement laws
to remove guns from the hands of those who continue to shoot innocent children in schools
and malls and even in faith places.
So, no, no, no, I don't want to look at one day as a maybe, but we should look at one
day as a guarantee and operate today hoping that one day can be today, June 17, 1966,
Dr. Martin Luther King gave a speech declaring that there were only three words he wanted
to state to America to prove that they were serious.
The first word was all.
He declared, we don't want some of our rights, but we want all of them.
His second word was here, stated that he did not want to have to move from the South in
order to experience these rights.
He wanted those rights in Georgia and Alabama and Mississippi.
His last word is what I want us all to focus on today.
His last word was now.
He didn't have time to settle for the statements like, you will get it right, you're right
one day, but he declared, we want them now, and this is my charge to all who are listening
today that now is the time for justice and equality.
Now, I wouldn't be about this preacher if I didn't leave you with some Scripture.
In the Gospel of John, chapter 9 and verse 4, Jesus declares, I must work the works of
him who has sent me while it is daily.
The night is coming when no man can work.
Here in this particular pericope, Jesus is informing us all that we don't have all day
and the time to work is used metaphorically while the sun is up for when the sun goes
down.
This life is over and no man or woman can work to get the picture of what Jesus may be saying
in this verse, picture a hard working farmer in the days before Martin Farm Machinery.
The farmer will rise up early in the morning to take advantage of every moment of the day,
every minute of daylight cultivating his crop for when the harvest will come.
He knew that night will come so he worked all day long, and when the night came he rested
well.
Well deserved rest for his diligence in the daylight.
He knew what it that if he was going to have a crop to harvest, he must work diligently
every waking minute because time was short and he did not have all day.
Just as the farmer knew he was to make the most of every moment of daylight.
We are to make the most of the time that we have down here to ensure one day becomes
a reality and not a dream that does not come to pass.
We can't wait for one day.
We must be committed to today and use one, the phrase one day as an obtainable vision.
Dr. Ruben Anthony, the president of the Greater Madison Urban League, displays this
model of one day as a vision, building the black business hub that will help create more
black business owners in Dane County.
I know one day he hopes to increase more black homeowners with his program that helps black
people become first-time home buyers and generate generational wealth.
The glory of lasting buildings is the epitome of one day as a vision, with her tireless
work in improving the education of black and brown children.
Vanessa McDowell, as the president of the YWCA, is devoted to making sure one day becomes
a reality for women who are trying their best to stand on their own two feet.
Colleen Care has declared one day with the start of one city schools in the prime example
that God has something greater for you when people deny you and can't understand your
initial vision.
Dr. Alex G. has blown the trumpet of one day, creating a class to teach others about black
history and allowing all to know that black history is American history.
Dr. Jack Daniels refused to turn one day as to be used for apathy when he decided to
build MAT campus on the south side of Madison, starting a renaissance in our community.
She loves this regard in one day of being deceptive talk, being the first black representative
in the state from Madison after being racially profiled while campaigning.
Carla Gaines, who impact on our community health, is unmatched with her eagerness to
one day ensure that we all receive fair and equitable treatment in health care.
Barack Obama and Kamala Harris all rejected the call of one day and selling for today,
but he used one day to become the first black president and vice president of these United
States of America.
To all the people who have been resilient in this nation, despite your unfair treatment
and hate to all who know their self-worth and not searching for affirmation outside
of who you are, thank you for using one day as a vision and not a crutch.
And as I mentioned earlier, the juvenile detention center was an idea I wanted to make happen.
The goal is to help youth develop some form of vision.
If they could see themselves beyond their current state, maybe they would try to make
better choices.
And I'm often looking at my own life, growing up in the hood of Milwaukee, on 12th and
North Avenue, the 5-3-2-0-6 zip code.
My mother was a single uneducated black woman trying to raise four boys by herself.
I never had great aspirations from what I saw, because all I saw was my mother working
hard at Wendy's, but to watch her go and get her GED and then get an associate's degree,
but neglect to walk across the stage to get her own diploma, to stand and watch me walk
across the stage and get my diploma.
Her hope for one day has helped me experience one day today.
One day, one day, my hope today is that someone will hear this message and say I can make
it today because not one day is going to happen.
And there's a letter from the Birmingham jail, Dr. Martin Luther King declares time itself
is neutral.
It can be used either destructively or constructively.
More and more, I feel that the people of eel wheel have used much more effectively than
have the people of Goodwill.
We will have to repent in this generation, not merely for the hateful words and the actions
of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.
In progress, it never rolls on the wheel of inelizability, but it comes through the
tireless efforts of men willing to be co-workers with God.
And without this hard work time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation.
We must use time creatively in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do what's
right.
They can be one day, but it requires all of us to understand that work is required to
build bridges and contribute all of our sales to help elevate the oppressed in the downtrodden.
We have to work together to ensure that our children have the same opportunities as everyone
else.
We have to engage fervently in discovering meaningful ways to improve the economics of
our communities that are poor.
We need to take pride in what we have, who we are, and where we've come from.
And I plead with you all today not to allow one day to cause apathy or complacency, but
use today to work diligently to produce the one day we envision to have unity, equity,
and freedom.
Dr. King in his final speech on the mountaintop declares like anyone, I would like to live a
long life, longevity has its place, but I'm not concerned about that now.
I just want to do God's will and he's allowed me to go up to the mountain and I've looked
over and I've seen the promised land.
I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will
get to the promised land and I'm happy tonight.
I'm not worried about anything.
I'm not fearing any man.
My eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.
And to the state of Wisconsin, I am confident as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on his last
night on this earth that the vision of one day is going to allow us to push harder today
that we may be able to get to that one day, which is the promised land.
And if I was in my sanctuary, I'll look at my crowd and I'll say we be, may endure for
tonight, but John comes in the morning.
In the history of this event and those of you who have been coming for years, you're
aware that we've had some big time as they say, stars and international folks.
But isn't it funny how sometimes right in your own backyard?
The light shines bright on the Reverend Dr. Marcus Allen.
It is my pleasure to introduce to you once again the Latino arts strings program with
Maestra, Marquez and the Mariachi Ovenel-Glandes Lagos Ensemble.
Here today to render an excerpt from Dr. King's 1963 speech I Have A Dream is Aliah
McMillan.
She's 11 years old and here that's for you.
And she's going to render the sex-serp.
She likes video games, chapter books about solving crimes, going to church with her dad,
singing in the choir, hanging out with a little brother and family, going to school.
She likes her quiet time to herself, she writes.
Enjoys her dad's cooking, making people laugh, riding her bike in the summer, watching
movies and getting her hair done, which makes her feel pretty like a little princess.
And please note this, one of the things that Leah wants to be when she grows up is a police
officer.
Please give her a welcome, Aliah McMillan.
Good afternoon, I am Aliah McMillan, as he had said, I am 11 years old and I will be
reading part of Martin Luther King's speech, so let me just get on started.
And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.
It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I would dream that one day this nation will rise up in about the true meaning of its creed.
We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.
I would dream that one day on the Red Hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and
the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I would dream that one day, even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the
heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an
oasis of freedom and justice.
I would dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will
not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
I would dream today.
I would dream that one day down in Alabama with this vicious racist, with his governor
having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, one day
right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands
with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I would dream today.
I would dream that one day every valley shall be exalted and every hill and mountain shall
be made low.
The rough places will be made plain and the crooked places will be made straight and
the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope and this is the faith that I go back to the south with.
With this faith, we will be able to heal out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.
With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a
beautiful symphony of brotherhood.
With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to
go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together knowing that we will be free one day.
And this will be the day.
This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning.
My country, Tiss of Thi, sweet land of liberty, of the I sing, land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrims pride.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring, and if America is to be a great nation, this
must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the high-tuning alginis of Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snow-cambed Rockies of Colorado.
Let freedom ring from the pervasive slopes of California, but not only that.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of Georgia, sorry, stone mountains of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from lookout mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill in Mohill of Mississippi.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village
and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day
when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and
Catholics will be able to join hands and sing the words of the old Negro spiritual.
Free it last, free it last.
Thank God almighty, we are free it last.
Whoa!
You did it!
Thank God!
You gave her one more round of applause, that you think a lot to do that?
a lot to do that, I'll end it a great job.
Okay Uncle Jonathan, I guess gave me the role to introduce the choir now.
So I can, you know, I'm for hire to introduce y'all, you know, if y'all need me.
But I just want to let y'all know that we have had a wonderful time.
Y'all agree, this has been a great celebration of Dr. King.
And we had a great word from my pastor today.
Thank you so much for your words.
And we're just going to ask the Chicago Mass Choir to take us out.
All right.
Thank you.
Congratulations.
engagement.
Congratulations.
You too.
Congratulations.
We're gonna sing a shout.
We're going sing a shout.
We're gonna sing a shout.
We'll sing a shout.
We're gonna sing a shout.
We're gonna sing a shout in.
We're gonna sing a shout.
We were gonna sing a shout one.
We'll sing a shout.
We're gonna sing a shout.
We'll sing a shout.
We've got to sing a shout cause.
We've got to sing a shout.
We're gonna sing a shout.
We'll sing a shout.
do something about my voice. I don't know what, but I gotta say to you, I'm gonna
give whatever I can right now for us to sing our closing song. We shall overcome
one day and it's going to take work, right? Hard work. And I am placing in the
hands of my adopted niece Vanessa McDowell Atlas to take on a bigger role to
stand like I've stood for so many years. I think she bring a refreshing touch to
this program. So she's a talented musician and I hope you will welcome her as we
move forward to 44. But let's stand together and sing that timeless song we
shall overcome. One day, thank you to all those who made the program possible, to the
wonderful musicians.
I just want to say this is not a play thing. This is not entertainment. It's
edification. And to remind us that we have an obligation to each other as a
community to lift each other up today. The journey of Chicago Mass getting up
four in the morning to get here. The Mariachi Ensemble and our governor, our dear
governor, Tony Evers, hasn't missed one single MLK event. He's been to everyone.
We're good hands. And I just think all of those who've been a part of it. And so if
you'll join me, and we shall overcome, come on.
We shall overcome some day, all deep in my heart.
I do believe we shall overcome some day.
Take care. May we be filled with peace and harmony. Take care, everybody.
We'll see you next time.
We shall overcome some day, all deep in my heart.
I do believe we shall overcome some day.
We shall overcome some day.