Diverse Elgin community prays for unity
Community leaders, students and everyday citizens gathered in Elgin Saturday morning for the city's 26th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Prayer Breakfast.
And by the end of the meal, a new award winner was in the crowd.
The city's human relations commission recognized police officer Steven Jones with its 2011 Humanitarian Award, given each year to a person whose actions and values reflect the ideals embodied by the slain civil rights leader.
“Caring for anybody is free,” Jones said. “I try to lead by example.”
Organizers said the diversity among the crowd of about 300 offered a strong visual example of King's dream to create unity. Presenters spoke in poems, scripture readings, songs and speeches on how to continue using Elgin's diversity as a strength, while working to further unify and empower residents.
“Unity comes as we begin to love one another,” the Rev. John Halbert of St. James AME Church in Elgin said during a prayer.
Supporting education in the diverse Elgin Area School District U-46 came up several times as one way the city can work toward unity and furthering King's dreams.
Denise Habun, chairwoman of the human relations commission, said Humanitarian Award winner Jones supports education by providing uniforms for several students who were not allowed to attend school without proper apparel, yet lacked the means to buy appropriate clothing.
“Within an hour, Steven had uniforms for all the children to attend school the next day. That's remarkable,” Habun said.
Keynote speaker the Rev. Lasha Tennyson encouraged students and adults alike to continue dreaming of a better world with less violence, fewer corrupt politicians, no more racism and equality of opportunity.
“The reason you don't have it is because you can't even dream it,” Tennyson said. “Sometimes it takes the stimulation of an almost reality to push us into our destiny.”
The city's events to honor King continue at 4 p.m. Sunday with a public music program at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way.