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Mon Valley NAACP held virtual Martin Luther King Jr. Day

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A virtual celebration for Martin Luther King Jr. Day illustrated the positives of the civil rights movement and the realities of today.

The annual program organized by the Mon Valley NAACP was done virtually this year because of COVID-19, but the organization still kept the spirit of the past program that normally took place in area churches.

There were prayers and songs, and young people read portions of King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech, as the theme of the program was “Moving from King’s dream to our realities”.

Caleb Calloway of Donora was asked after reading his excerpt about his reality of being a Black male in America today with news of incidents between police and Black men and women.

“I don’t like it because people are getting killed for no reason,” he said.

Samya Morris of Monessen had a different take, stating that Black women are subjected to different beauty standards.

Brother and sister Damire and Taria Isbell of Monessen also participated, saying they would like to see change in how Black people are treated.

“It’s a scary time to be Black when the police see you as a threat,” Damire said.

Lois Thomas, an organizer on the MLK Celebration Committee, agreed with the young people who participated in Monday’s program and added there are good police and bad police, just like there are good people and bad people in the world. But, she told them, they don’t need to live in fear.

“You don’t need to be afraid because God watches over all of us,” she said.

The Rev. Kenneth Huston, president of the Pennsylvania State NAACP, said King’s dream hasn’t been fully realized.

“We must be steadfast and what we’re seeking to do to bring equality relevant to our people and people of nationalities,” Huston said. “The fight absolutely continues.”

Allan Duncan, the president of the Mon Valley NAACP, said the words spoken by King still apply today, touching on messages of not satisfying the thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred and the fierce urgency of now.

“Now is here,” Duncan said.

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