Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2017 celebrated at WNMU

Photos and article by Mary Alice Murphy

At the Monday, Jan. 16, 2017 Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration in Western New Mexico University's Light Hall, master of ceremonies Rev. Earseye Ross said he didn't know why he had been chosen to be emcee.

"Don't they know that it takes a black Baptist preacher an hour just to introduce himself?" Ross poked fun at himself.

"We are here today to celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.," Ross continued.

He opened the ceremony with a prayer and asked God to bless "this activity and bless each one of us individually and collectively."

Ross introduced Gloria Bradford, who said she works for the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that helps millions of Americans improve the lives of their fellow citizens through service.

"I am the local director of the local Senior Corps and Senior Volunteers, a part of Consilio CDS out of Las Cruces," Bradford said. "The main funding for us is federal, with state help. We are multi-generational and multi-cultural."

She and several helpers handed out carnations to her program volunteers who were in attendance. "Without volunteers, we have no programs," Bradford said.

Bradford, in answer to a question from Ross, said she thought the first Martin Luther King Jr. celebration in Grant County was about eight years ago, with a few people getting together. It has grown greatly since then.

Abe Villarreal, WNMU marketing director, said every year at the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration, "we recognize individuals to induct them into the Martin Luther King Jr. Hall of Fame. This year the first recipient is Gary Stailey of the Community Youth Building Program, who just about every Saturday brings youths together in community service in Silver City."

"We find youths who are a lot more deserving than what life might have dealt them," Stailey said. "We have a lot of young people like James (Gonzales, who read part of one of King's speeches at the celebration) who need something positive to do. When we were raising our six kids, we lived fairly close to the schools.

"Rachel Ross, who will sing for you, was closest in age to our son Zach," Stailey continued. "Zach plays the piano. I would come home and both were singing. Our home was welcoming to young people."

Ross invited James Gonzales, Cobre High School student, to read an excerpt from King's speech to a Philadelphia school in 1967, "What is your Life's Blueprint?" The message was for the students to be "the best of whatever you are."

"I have to tell you, the true definition of a lie is any attempt to deceive," Stailey said. "If I were to say I had no prejudice, I would be lying, but I'm trying to rid myself of it.

"Our hope is to not divide people," Stailey said. "As I work with youth, I find they are the most resilient of all God's creation. You give them one bright ray of hope and they can move forward. I have hope when we do things without knowing who is recognized. My service is the rent I owe for being on this Earth."

Ross said he listened to what Stailey was saying. "Wouldn't it be nice if God judged us by the way we looked when we looked good? But God looks in our hearts."

"The next person I will introduce is someone with whom I have become very good friends," Ross said. "He's the best vice president at WesternG