From a Dream comes hope: South Suburban College honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at annual MLK Day event

Every year, South Suburban College (SSC) brings members of the college family and local communities together to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a two-hour program. This program features many musical performances, a lineup of motivational speeches, and stories of how Dr. King made a difference in the lives of many. On Monday, January 19, this year’s celebration was held at the Kindig Performing Arts Center on the SSC campus.

This year’s theme was “From a dream… comes hope.” Dr. Lynette Stokes, president of South Suburban College, considers this gathering to be a staple event that takes place annually on campus.

“This is one of our most meaningful traditions that we do every year,” said Stokes. “For me, it’s one of my favorite celebrations of the entire year. It reflects who we are as an institution and underscores the deeply rooted partnership between South Suburban College, Thornridge High School, and Thornton Township High School.”

District 205 High School Band and Choir members provided a number of performances throughout the program. Top Ladies of Distinction and Top Teens of America were participants at the event. Other performances during the celebration of Dr. King included Prince Reed and the CCC Praise Team, Bobbi Lane, SSC Voices, the Bourne Family, the Thomas Singers, and Reverend Dr. Ozzie Smith, Jr. who performed a song from Thomas Dorsey.

Kevin Daly, vice chair at South Suburban College, appreciates this event because it brings people of all generations together.

“We have the leaders of our community join along with the future of our community, including the students from the high schools that are participating in this program,” Daly said. “It’s a special celebration, and I’m proud to be a part of this tradition.”

Daly recalls one key quote from Dr. King that he lives by in his everyday life.

“The line that sticks with me is that ‘People should be judged based upon the content of their character rather than the color of their skin,’” Daly said. “It’s universal, because it’s what’s on the inside that counts. When you get to see into somebody’s spirit, you’ll find something in common. You’ll find ways to work together for our mutual benefit. I think Dr. King would be proud to witness an event like this that we have today.”

Reverend Dr. Ozzie E. Smith Jr, pastor emeritus at Covenant United of Church of Christ, was the keynote speaker for this year’s program. He illustrated how Dr. King was resilient until his last day on Earth.

“Dr. King was incredibly bold,” Smith said. “He almost didn’t go that night to preach, because there were fierce thunderstorms in Memphis and a heavy rain that night. His people told him ‘You got to go to Memphis.’ His face was set towards what proved to be his last stand in Memphis. Hope from a dream poured from his heart, and it was a heart that loved all humanity.”

Thornton Township Supervisor and Illinois State Senator Napoleon Harris gave some closing remarks for the program. He emphasized the value behind the dream that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had for many generations.

“Sometimes people lose hope, and the reason why is because of one simple thing: they stop believing,” Harris said. “When you stop believing, you give up the ability to achieve greatness. When Dr. King had a dream, his dream was about hope. His dream was about a better today and a brighter future. It’s a day that we reflect on the dream and the hope. I hope everybody doesn’t leave here and just remembers the dream. If you are only remembering the dream, then you’re still asleep. It’s important to remember not only the dream, but the cause of the dream and what it means for us to push forward.”

Beyond today, the most important way to carry out the legacy of Dr. King is through educating the next journey. South Suburban College looks forward to this event every year, because they can continue to reiterate the impact that he made on the United States of America.

“We have young high school and college students here,” said Terry Wells, chairman of the South Suburban College Board of Trustees. “It is important that we let them know the importance of Dr. King. We knew what he did, because we lived through it. For us, it’s important now that we ensure that our young people carry on that message.”

The presentation of colors was conducted by the Thornton Township High School District 205 Civil Air Patrol. The South Suburban Chicago Chapter of the Top Ladies of Distinction and Top Teens of America had a table at the event to give food to the South Suburban Chicago Food Pantry. At the end of the program, Harris introduced all of the elected officials in attendance.

For more information on South Suburban College, you can visit ssc.edu.