Diversity event featuring Martin Luther King III

The city of Columbia is hosting their 20th annual Columbia Values Diversity Celebration Jan. 17th 2013. The event is going to have keynote speaker Martin Luther King III, Martin Luther King Jr.’s son.  It will be held from 7 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Expo Center, 2200 I-70 Drive Southwest. Tickets are only available in advance and are $14. The deadline to register for the event is 5 p.m. on Jan. 11.

The theme of this event is “the Dream Revisited,” recognizing people of Columbia with the same qualities as Martin Luther King Jr.

The city of Columbia will give 2 awards, one to an individual, another to an organization that demonstrate diversity and the dream of MLK.

At the 10th event the keynote speaker was Bernice King, the daughter or Martin Luther King Jr. Cari Utterback said. She said having Martin Luther King III at the 20th event will make it special. Having King III there will honor Martin Luther King’s legacy.

“Martin’s dedication to creating and implementing strategic nonviolent action to rid the world of social, political, and economic injustice has propelled him to the forefront as one of the nation’s most ardent advocates for the poor, the oppressed, and the disillusioned,” according to Martin Luther King III’s website.

I think it is a great thing that King III is going to be in Columbia to influence people’s lives and help the advocacy of diversity for our community.