On Monday, January 20, 2020 all are invited to remember and celebrate the life and work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the 2020 Annual Martin Luther King Day Commemoration and Remembrance, organized by the Cambridge Peace Commission. The Commemoration will take place beginning at 11:00 AM at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 838 Massachusetts Ave., in Central Square, Cambridge. This year’s program will feature remarks by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley.
The City of Cambridge will honor and remember Dr. King and his legacy, as we gather at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church to hear members of the Cambridge community share readings of Dr. King’s words calling for peace, justice and transformation, as well as musical performances — including by gospel soloist Christina DeVaughn.
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley is an advocate, a policy-maker, an activist, and a survivor. In 2009, she launched a historic at-large campaign for Boston City Council and won, becoming the first woman of color elected to the Council in its 100-year history. On the Boston City Council, Congresswoman Pressley worked in partnership with residents, advocates, and other elected officials to combat the inequities and disparities facing the community. On November 6, 2018, she was elected to represent Massachusetts’ 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, making her the first woman of color to be elected to Congress from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Congresswoman Pressley believes that the people closest to the pain should be closest to the power and that a diversity of voices in the political process is essential to making policies that benefit more Americans.In addition to the Peace Commission’s Commemoration and Remembrance at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, once again Many Helping Hands will sponsor volunteer activities for its Day of Service from 2:00 to 5:00 PM at City Hall, St. Peter’s, the YWCA, the Senior Center and other sites.
In 1967, Martin Luther King described what he saw as the most serious challenge for our society. In his words, “We must rapidly begin the shift from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights, are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, extreme materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.” More than fifty years later, the United States still faces these three existential challenges to our values as a nation.
The program is free, open to all, and wheelchair accessible. More information is available at cambridgema.gov/peace.
For directions to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, located in Central Square at 838 Massachusetts Ave. at the corner of Sellers St., please, visit saintpeterscambridge.org/map-mbta-directions
For more information on the Many Helping Hands Day of Service visit manyhelpinghands365.org/cambridge-mlk-day-service