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Healing, Justice and Rising Like a Phoenix: Pontiac Honors Martin Luther King Jr. (video)CFSEM-123-OaklandCounty115-digital-ad_v2
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 24, 2015)
“We started at the Phoenix Center, because like the Phoenix has to rise, we need to rise to the occasion, with the activities and the changes that need to occur,” said Pastor Douglas Jones to the dozens of people that had marched through Downtown Pontiac to gather in the lobby of sidebar016growMcClaren Oakland Hospital on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. “We walked past the Hall of Justice, the William Waterman Hall of Justice because we realized that we needed justice for all. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said that injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere, and so we walked past the Hall of Justice.
“We walk over University Avenue because we felt that University meant education. And we all need to be educated if we are going to get rid of some of the ‘isms.” Some of the racism and all of the other isms that go on, we need to be educated.
“And we came down the street to McLaren, the healing place, because we believe that this is the place for healing and so we came here,” Pastor Jones, of the Greater Pontiac Community Coalition, said.

The Unity Week parade, and a luncheon that followed afterward, was sponsored by McLaren Oakland and the waterworkGreater Pontiac Coalition. It was an event attended by politicians, clergy, supporters of civil rights and economic justice, and by youth.
“I like the fact that the young people are out front in this because you are the ones for which this legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King is commemorating and you are the ones who will help carry this legacy forward,” said Pontiac Mayor Deidre Waterman. “Remember the dream fulfilled is that you would have the opportunity to attend any school, to have the opportunity of a job, to have chazzano game adopen housing, to be able to have equal opportunity to justice in this country. And so as the National Negro Anthem says, let us march on until victory is won.”
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Department joined those who walked, in what Pastor Jones called a sign that “really shows fellowship, community and partnership.”
The Great Lakes Academy Dance Group stomped out inspirational cheers. One performance urged people to get out and vote, another to recognize and support youth. “I am somebody,” they said. And soloist Darcell Turner led “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and “We Shall Overcome.”
Judge CynthiaferncareAD Walker and newly-elected County Commissioner David Bowman were among those who acknowledged the legacy of King and other activists that paved the way for them to hold positions of leadership. And McLaren Oakland was noted several times for their commitment to the City and improvements in the Downtown.
Minister Kevin Sanders of Welcome Missionary Baptist Church spoke particularly to the youth when he said “Even those pictures you take on you i pads and your cell phones speak volumes.”
“Take this experience and go out Minister Sanders said. “Say ‘Monday was a great day,” but Tuesday morning wake up and take this experience to your homes, to your jobs, to your schools, and your communities, and his dream will be one step closer.”
Learn more about McLaren Oakland at http://www.mclaren.org/oakland/Oakland.aspx.MBREW draft one
Learn more about Greater Pontiac Community Coalition at http://www.greaterpontiaccommunitycoalition.org/.
Check out MLK Celebrations in other communities:
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2015/01/23/oak-park-celebrates-dr-martin-luther-king-jr/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2015/01/20/keeping-with-kings-dream-ro-twp-asks-whats-going-on-video/
For more event listings go to http://oaklandcounty115.com/events/
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