The Newtown Florist Club held a march on Monday in celebration of Martin Luther King Junior Day.
Beginning at noon, local leaders and community members gathered at the Peach State Bank in Gainesville and walked in unison to the Butler Center to honor King’s life and influence.
The march was followed by a ceremony that featured stories from individuals in the community who shared how they were impacted by King’s legacy.
Among them was Monica Ramírez–Leon, who shared how King’s philosophy can still be applied today.
“I remember the day that I learned about racial color…” Ramírez–Leon said. My teacher had Dr. King's speech playing on the projector and she gave us a white sheet of paper with the outline of a hand on it and crayons that we were supposed to use. And we were supposed to match the color of our skin. I remember looking at the options and then looking at my hand and then picking a tan crayon and thinking to myself, ‘Yeah, this matches my skin color the best.’ It was the moment that I looked up from my own hand that I ever saw the color of everyone else's hand for the first time. All the while Dr. King's speech was playing in the background. Here's the truth for me. I don't know what it's like to be black in America, but what I do know is what it's like to be undocumented in America. I know what it's like to be a permanent resident in America. And I know what it's like to be a U.S. citizen in America. I dare say that while civil rights and immigration rights are two separate issues, they are sisters by nature because they both were birthed by mommy fear and daddy oppression.”
Ramírez–Leon then began to reference King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
“If you could look at the heart of America,” she said. “And give us all a blank check, and tell us to write the value that we thought our life was worth, based on how much we truly loved one another– would we be able to cash our check? Or would we be told ‘I'm sorry, there aren't any funds?’ I don't need to go into a deep dive of all the events in recent years to point out how badly America has treated her citizens of color. But, I will say that I have a feeling Jesus would tell America that there just weren't enough funds to proceed. He would tell America, ‘You have missed the mark on what I allowed my servant to speak to you on the day of August 28, 1963’”.
Gainesville Mayor Sam Couvillon also shared the importance of King’s life and teachings referencing his well-known “Drum Major Sermon”.
“Dr. King warns of that spiritual pride,” Couvillon said. “He warns that we want to do things because we want attention, and we want adulation. But Dr. King said he wanted to be remembered to be the drum major for peace, the drum major for justice, and the drum major of righteousness. I say this because me as your mayor, I don't ever want to get ahead of myself and think that I know more than what our citizens know. I am humbled to be your mayor. And it's at an event like this, where it just really checks that and reminds me of those important times and those important moments and important people like Dr. King, make you check your ego at the door.”
The Ceremony was closed out with a reenactment of King’s “I Have a Dream Speech” performed by Roger Buffington and the song “ We Shall Overcome”.
To view a recording of the full ceremony, click here.
