Northeast Georgians are keeping the dream alive. Dozens gathered Sunday for the 32nd MLK Peace Walk and Celebration.
The annual gathering is held in conjunction with the national observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which falls on the third Monday of January each year. The federal holiday honors the memory and message of the slain civil rights leaders.
King’s message of freedom, equality, justice and love was at the center of Sunday’s event which began at the Big Red Apple monument in downtown Cornelia. Sunny skies and frigid temperatures greeted the walkers, but the cold didn’t stop them. Wrapped warmly in jackets, hats, scarves and gloves, they made their way down north Main Street, crossed over to MLK Jr. Drive and ended up at Shady Grove Baptist Church, just under a half-mile away.
At church they found nourishment for their bodies and souls. The group dined on potluck dishes, sang inspirational tunes and listened to messages of hope.
Laughter filled the sanctuary at one point when the crowd was asked to look around and imagine if everyone was “just like you.”
The beauty of Sunday’s event – as in year’s prior – was found in its diversity. From the black Gospel church where it was hosted to the Hispanic choir that performed, people of different genders, ages, faiths and ethnicities proved once again there is strength in community.
The message seemed particularly poignant in light of recent reports of alleged racist comments made by President Donald Trump.
Peace walk organizers did not let the controversy overshadow the positivity of Sunday’s event. They found strength in their shared sense of unity and in scripture, quoting these words from Psalm 27 in the Bible, “The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear?”
MLK Peace Walk and Celebration in downtown Cornelia
Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018
photos/Donna James
