A trio of keynote speakers discussed the importance of protecting freedom, justice and democracy, in light of celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King.
On Sunday afternoon, a crowd gathered at the Grand Avenue United Methodist Church in Salina, for an MLK dedicated event “Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice and Democracy.” Keynote speakers, Kirk Holt, Dr. Ralita Cheeks and Rafael Mendez each gave a speech on the rights that the late Dr. King preached on.
Protecting Freedom:
Client Servicing Expert at Ernst & Young Global Consulting Services, Kirk Holt highlighted the importance of protecting our freedom. He stated “freedom should not be something that you should keep within yourself.”
Holt states, Dr. King expressed that people are to include and to seek the best interest of others when it comes to the community. He emphasized that Dr. King was a pillar for the needy. Holt said that Dr. King has been an inspiration to him.
Holt is a Salina native and attended Emporia State University. He had a career in the U.S. military serving as a commissioned officer for the Army and worked for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
Protecting Justice:
Career and College School Counselor, Dr. Ralita Cheeks encourages promising leaders to consistent and constant in the concept of justice.
“To be constant and consistent is to take part in equitable actions, while accepting diversity and making sure voices are heard. There are many times we do give a chance for people to be speak and leaders are to challenge themselves to see if they were able to hear everyone’s perspectives.” said Dr. Cheeks.
Dr. Cheeks emphasized the importance of giving a fair opportunity for voices to be heard.
She says Dr. King’s vision has been an inspiration to her. “His (Dr. King) vision is a reality that I look for to truly embracing and being able to walk in its totality. It is a calling for us to always try and do our best” said Dr. Cheeks.
Dr. Cheeks is a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) leader, certified in social justice, Masters in school counseling, Bachelor’s in criminal justice and religion, Doctorate in educational leadership.
Protecting Democracy:
President of the Salina Family Health Center and Vice President of Customer Culture at Blue Beacon Inc, Rafael Mendez encouraged the actions that should take place regarding democracy.
“In the words of Dr. King, Whatever effects one directly, effects all indirectly. He was highlighting the inter-connectedness and the shared responsibility which is crucial for building a strong democracy. This a reminder that all of our individual actions matter and every action impacts the collective” said Mendez.
He stated the importance of community engagement by encouraging people to serve others.
“Protecting democracy is an ongoing process that requires an active participation and building strong relationships within our community. Dr. King’s visions was about building a beloved community, especially one that created social change” said Mendez
Mendez is a member of the Kansas Wesleyan University Board of Trustees and SpringBoard: A Board Service Training Program, as well as a graduate of Leadership Salina 2021 and Leadership Kansas 2022.
For a link to watch clips of each keynote speaker discussing their topics, for Kirk Holt go to https://fb.watch/xdnTT9tK13/
Dr. Ralita Cheeks speech: https://fb.watch/xdn_ymCYiL/
Rafael Mendez speech: https://fb.watch/xdokNCgzvo/
The MLK city-wide celebration will continue on MLK day, Monday, January 20th. For a full list of events and information, go to https://www.ksal.com/salina-to-celebrate-king-legacy-3/
