King breakfast inspires activism and scholarship

Roughly 500 guests braved bone-chilling cold last Monday to attend the 13th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast at Benedictine University in Lisle.

Smiling greeters welcomed ticket-holders to the Krasa Center. Upstairs the large banquet room was arranged with round tables of eight. Deep purple napkins with contrasting white tablecloths accentuated the red carnation centerpieces with white and violet fillers designed by students in Naperville Central High School floral classes.

From the podium hung a timeless photo of King delivering his "I Have A Dream" speech. The university's motto, "Informing today … transforming tomorrow," trimmed the honey-wood backdrop.

Large screens on either side of the stage flashed black-and-white images of King demonstrating in Birmingham, Ala., meeting with President Kennedy and receiving the Nobel Prize for Peace. A historic balcony scene in Tennessee recalled the grim day that changed history.

As guests settled into their seats, five members of the Alpha Sign Choir from the Alpha Baptist Deaf Ministry, under the direction of Barbara Carter of Bolingbrook, opened the ceremonies by signing to recorded music. The expressive hand and arm movements blended sign language and two-part harmony with a touch of modern dance.

The word "Alleluia" was a quick clap -- and then both hands circled in the air above the head with crooked index finger and closed hand.

Some audience members felt moved to clap along.

The Rev. Ellie Soles from the DuPage African Methodist Episcopal Church in Lisle gave the invocation, saying King did not flinch in the face of adversity, and then asked his intercession in making those in attendance agents of change.

Benedictine President William Carroll introduced state Sen. Kirk Dillard, DuPage County board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom, Lisle Mayor Joseph Broda, Naperville Mayor George Pradel and other dignitaries.

The university co-sponsors the annual event with the College of DuPage.

COD President Sunil Chand welcomed those in attendance by defining the day's theme of "E Pluribus Unum -- Out of Many, One."

Six students received scholarships made possible by a portion of event proceeds. Honorees from Benedictine were Stephanie Brasie, Rosa Sanchez and Ericka Sanders; those from COD were Corliss Davis, Steven Dukes and Khansaa Nadeem.

The King grants are awarded based on scholarship, community service and a written essay. Parts of the essays were read.

Collectively, the students aspire to become a special education teacher, social worker, physician, public health worker, theologian and child psychologist.

Keynote speaker Roy Saigo, a nationally recognized "agent of change," was selected to speak because of his wide background in diversity issues.

"Saigo is a man who has not sidestepped hard decisions," Chand said in his introduction.

Saigo began by asking the audience to imagine the feelings and thoughts they would have if they were told to leave their homes and businesses within 10 days with the instruction to take only what they could carry -- with no details or explanations.

When Saigo was a young boy, his family faced that situation when forced to leave their rural home near Sacramento, Calif.

Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor that sparked our nation's involvement in World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt issued an executive order that forced Japanese-Americans into internment camps, even though many were American citizens.

The Saigo family was among those held in the Gila River internment camp in the Arizona desert.

"What we worked a lifetime for was all taken away," Saigo said. "Each of us was given a straw-filled mattress and an Army cot."

As days turned into months, and then years, the people within the camps governed themselves, taught their children and grew their food.

Simply because of their Japanese ancestry, all were held until the end of the World War II. Saigo learned from that experience to be a leader in diversity issues, and to face discrimination with conviction.

"Taking a stance is never without consequences," Saigo said. "We must speak up, be engaged and be watchful."

As president of St. Cloud (Minn.) State University, Saigo attacked prejudice on many fronts, such as when he brought the issue of American Indian sports imagery to the NCAA.

"Each of us has the responsibility to speak for those who do not have a voice," Saigo said. "We are all part of the human race."

Following Saigo's keynote speech, Leroy Brown, the deputy mayor of Bolingbrook, brought those responsibilities to a personal level. He encouraged listeners to build a strong structure that will lead children in the right direction.

"Martin Luther King was a strong advocate for education," Brown said. "But what you do with that education is what makes the difference. No one can take your education away from you."

Brown said parents have the final responsibility to guide their children.

"Please let's teach, lead and show children the right direction in which to go," he said.

"King's legacy is not dead, but strong and alive."

Carroll summarized the morning speeches, saying the dialogue is not over, and that people must be more sensitive and understanding and take a firm position in what they know is right.

At each place setting there was a different quote from Martin Luther King Jr. such as:

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

The dialogue King advanced so eloquently continues.