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In This Issue:
Partners and BWH presented the sixth annual Celebration of the Legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. last Friday, honoring King’s ideals and to celebrate the acheivements of BWH’s four Black Achievers. The event began with a powerful presentation from keynote speaker Alvin F. Poussaint, MD, a renowned author, psychiatrist, educator and social critic, who shared his personal connection to King. Poussaint’s words gave way to a special recognition of the four BWH YMCA 2005 Black Achievers—Shona Jackson, Guerly LaRoche, RN, Sylvia Read and Lisa Owens, MD. All were honored for their professional and community-based achievements. As part of their award, each has committed to further community service to benefit area minority youth.
“Martin Luther King struggled for the rights of all. He stood for non-violence and believed true diversity was the road toward lasting peace and an end to violence and war,” said Poussaint, director of the Media Center at Boston’s Baker Children’s Center, and a strong proponent of non-violent parenting and education.
Highlighting King’s gift for inspiring others through non-violence, Poussaint shared a slide show of the March 21, 1965 march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, in which he participated with King and some 25,000 others. He concluded his presentation by welcoming the audience to join him and featured musician Terry Gresham, in a rendition of “We Shall Overcome.”