“We all have influence... with your influence, who are you leading? How are you leading your families in the communities and in the workplace?,” Ellis said. “We can’t be an asset to society if you can’t interrupt our comfortable patters of thinking... To what destination are you leading them?”
Ellis explained that sometimes people spend too much time talking about things they can’t do anything about and have to do something transformational around violence in the communities.
“Think outside of the box on how to bring about change. Figure out how to work collaboratively to bring about change,” he said. “I believe inclusion is our only option. If we begin to see inclusion as our only option, we recognize that when we come together we make more. When we begin to come together, there’s something powerful that we can achieve working together.”
Ellis then said everyone must consider the question: “What would you do?’'
He challenged to the virtual gathering to find their purpose.
“We have to recognize that we have to do more,” he said. “This is your time. I believe that we have to know what our purpose is. Once you understand your purpose, the only thing you must keep doing is walking... Find your own voice, make your own differences, focus on solving today’s problem with visionary solutions.”
Springfield Mayor Warren Copeland said Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is important to address issues we seek to change.
“Simply because these issues remain very alive and present and continue to need our continual efforts to deal with them,” he said. “May we continue to recognize Martin Luther King, Jr. by addressing the issues he fought to change until they are, in fact, changed.”
Along with honoring King, 12 local high school students were honored with the Peacemaker Award. The awards were presented by Je’Michael Blanton, Admissions Specialist at Clark State College; Joseph Smith, Manager of Community Marketing at CareSource; and Corrine Witherspoon, Director of the William A. McClain Center for Diversity at Wittenberg University.
“These young folks are really a shining light in the community and are really a leading example,” Smith said.
The high school seniors who were recognized for their ability to resolve conflict in a positive way and bridge cultural and social differences within their schools were: Juliet Pleskach, Catholic Central; Jason Channels II, Emmanuel Christian Academy; Georgia Rigsbee, Global Impact STEM Academy; Trent Green, Greenon; Amanuel Collins, Kenton Ridge; Kaitlyn Goodfellow, Northeastern; Leigh Taylor, Northwestern; Thomas Marshall, Clark-Shawnee; Rowan Ziolo, Southeastern; Liam Lawson, Springfield-Clark CTC; Shaylyn Zaleha, Springfield; and Gabe Ward, Tecumseh.
The 31st annual MLK celebration was hosted by Clark State College, CareSource, the City of Springfield, Human Relations Board, Springfield City Schools and Wittenberg University.
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