These included Mississippi attorney Jesse C. Pennington, the keynote speaker; local attorney Joe Hill, president of the African American Cultural Preservation Committee; Assistant Attorney General Shelli Neal; former CNMI teacher representative to the Board of Education Ambrose Bennett; Leo Goode; attorney Jane Mack of Micronesian Legal Services; Judge Kenneth Govendo; and Congressman Gregorio C. Sablan who participated in the nation’s capital via videocast.
A program was held on Monday at the American Memorial Park Visitor Center.
The Kagman High School JROTC saber-team, led by Cadet Lt. Col. Debra Buekis, presented the colors.
The Negro National Anthem was played in commemoration of MLK Day and all those who suffered racial discrimination.
“Martin Luther King Jr. showed us the right path to take. If he were to see us now, I know he will be proud of the progress we have made and the state we are in today,” said Hill in his welcoming remarks. “But despite of our progress, we all have to be vigilant because history has a way of repeating itself,” he added.
“Anybody can serve to be great,” said Congressman Sablan. “You don’t need a diploma to serve and make a difference.”
Govendo, in his introduction of the keynote speaker, said: “Every world leader should be using common sense instead of mindless litigation. This is where all the wars and fights start when people do not come to a decision using calm and rational thinking.”
Pennington, in his speech, said despite where we are today there is still a lot of injustice in society.
The former fdirector of Micronesian Legal Services in Palau said if Dr. King were still alive we would see him in Africa or in the Middle East as an active advocate of human rights.
Bennett, for his part, showed the audience a newspaper clipping in 2003 regarding his campaign to make MLK Day a local holiday.
He said King should be commemorated all throughout the world for his dedication toward “our right of simply being human.”
The program started at 1 p.m. and ended at 4:30 p.m.
The winners of the MLK Day Poster Contest were also announced:
Matthew W. Thomas 2nd Grade, Grace Christian Academy, Rota
Angela Ann Guiang, K-5, Grace Christian Academy, Rota
Nadia Jade Arriola, K-4, Grace Christian, Rota
Maria G. Terlaje 3rd Grade, Mount Carmel School
Rency Camacho Grace 3rd Grade, Christian Academy, Rota
Audrey Lok Lum Yue, 4th Grade Grace Christian Academy, Saipan
Chrisha Llana, 7th Grade, Grace Christian Academy, Rota
Glengela Guiang, 7th Grade, Grace Christian Academy, Rota
Carmelita Takeshi, 8th Grade, Grace Christian Academy, Rota
Special mention goes to Shiara Reyes of Ladera International School for a portrait of Martin Luther King Jr. on display at www.blacksonsaipan.com.
Winners are asked to contact Joe Hill at 234-6806 during business hours to arrange pick up of their prizes.
