Suburban leaders honor King's ideals, promote service

Political, religious and business leaders of the Northwest suburbs came together Thursday night to honor the legacy and mission of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at a remembrance and celebration dinner.

For the last 14 years the Illinois Commission on Diversity and Human Relations has honored one person in the community who exhibits the leadership qualities of King. This year the honor went to retired bankruptcy judge Manny Barbosa of Elgin.

The commission's president, the Rev. Clyde Brooks, walked with King during the civil rights movement and said King would have appreciated Barbosa's leadership qualities.

Barbosa came to the U.S. as a 2-month-old when his family crossed the Rio Grande on a raft. After picking cotton under the hot Texas sun for years, Barbosa's family gradually moved to Nebraska and then finally Elgin when Barbosa was 10 years old.

He not only obtained legal residency and became a U.S. citizen but also went on to become the first federal bankruptcy judge of Hispanic descent in northern Illinois.

Barbosa recently published his autobiography, which Brooks said will help readers understand the current immigration environment.

"We have people (in Mexico) with the talent and skills of our honoree who want the same opportunity that the judge has had and you have had and I have had," Brooks said.

Barbosa said he was humbled to receive the award bearing King's name. He said he has tried to make this world a little better by making it a little more fair and a little more just.

The Dundee-Crown High School chamber choir performed three songs. Many prominent community members attended the dinner, including suburban mayors Dave Kaptain of Elgin, William McLeod of Hoffman Estates and Arlene Juracek of Mount Prospect.

Brooks said he hoped the people in the packed ballroom went forth from the evening and spoke about King's message of freedom and equality.

"I hope if you're asked, 'What did you do Thursday night?' you won't say 'I went to a King dinner,'" Brooks said. "I hope you all talk about the message and promote the message of his ideals."

Barbosa closed his remarks with a quote from King.

"Everyone can be great because everyone can serve. You don't have to have a college degree, you don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve," Barbosa said.

"You only need a heart full of grace and soul generated by love."