MLK Jr. Day celebrated at WNMU 011722

Photos and article by Mary Alice Murphy

Martin Luther King Jr. Day ceremony at WNMU 011722

Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrated at WNMU 011722

Western New Mexico University Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Isaac Brundage served as emcee for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration, which took place at Light Hall on the WNMU campus on Monday, Jan. 17, 2022.

"I am welcoming all of you to recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day on behalf of our university President Dr. Joseph Shepard," Brundage said.

He introduced Brewer Hill Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Waldo Winborn, who opened the event with a prayer. "Thank you, Lord, for bringing us Martin Luther King Jr. who showed us the way to turn back to your kingdom."

Brundage said the annual event was started by Gloria Bradford, who died about two years ago. "We are glad we had inducted her into the MLK Hall of Fame the year before she died." He called for a moment of silence to remember Gloria.

The hymn, "Precious Lord, Take My Hand," a favorite of Martin Luther King Jr., has been a tradition of this ceremony. On this day, a video of Mahalia Jackson performing the song played for everyone to see and hear.

WNMU Housing Director Alfonso Wilson introduced Silver Consolidated Schools Superintendent William. D. "Will" Hawkins as keynote speaker.

Hawkins said his talk would refer to the "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech that King gave the night before he was assassinated. "He reflects on events in his life, such as when he was stabbed."

Hawkins asked everyone if they could think of a moment when something happened that could have changed the trajectory of your life or one that did change that trajectory.

"I'm going to focus on the small events that caused intimate impact on your life," Hawkins said. "When Martin Luther King Jr. spoke, he spoke of meaningful events."

He recounted King's talking about his stabbing in 1958 and that if he had sneezed, he could have died and how close he had come to death. "King said he received many letters and cards from presidents and celebrities, but the one he remembered was from a young lady who wrote him a note: 'I read in the paper that if you had sneezed, you would have died. I'm happy you didn't sneeze.'"

Hawkins said his mother and his grandmother always told him not to forget "where you come from. As Martin Luther King Jr. reflects on the events he had the opportunity to participate in, how he glad he was that he could give back."

"We may not know the impact we have on the people around us," Hawkins said. "Realize the person you were supposed to be or look forward to being that person. I hope you can hear as Dr King said when he reached the mountaintop to see his Lord and Savior: 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant.'"

Three WNMU students spoke. Breya Brown, president of the Black Students Association said: "Martin Luther King Jr. was committed to make changes. You must continue to persevere. King expected students to stand up and make changes. If we are not serious about our future, who will be? Each of us can make changes. If I do not stop to help someone, what will happen to them?"

Eric Guerrero, president of the Helping ??? Club [Editor's Note: The word was not audible], said he was committed to change. "My commitment to change has inspired me to become better and give back to the community. I want to be there to make meaningful change. Change is one of my biggest goals and it has helped me to become a better person, but change must continue throughout our lives."

Richard Mubanga, Student Body president said, although he is an international student, he knows about Martin Luther King Jr. "MLK Day is not just a U.S. holiday. Everyone around the world adopted what he said about peace. If you can't fly, then run; if you can't run, then walk; if you can't walk, then crawl. I want to be committed to a cause that is right. A kid once told his dad. 'We've been talking about commitment at school. So, what does that mean?' His father asked him what he saw on the plate. The boy saw an egg and a piece of sausage. The father said the chicken made a commitment to produce an egg for this plate and the pig made a commitment to be pork for the plate."

"To the students, I say, if you have a cause that is right, it will not come to fruition without your commitment," Mubanga said. "I, too, am happy that Martin Luther King Jr. didn't sneeze. When students were sitting in on school lunches, he wouldn't have been around to show them peaceful protest."

Brundage thanked the students for their powerful messages.

An except was played from the Moutaintop speech, when Martin Luther King said: 'It doesn't matter what happens now, because I've been to the mountaintop. I want to do God's will. I've been to the mountaintop, and I've seen the Promised Land. Mine eyes have seen the coming of the Lord.'"

Brundage introduced those who would give plaques to the Hall of Fame inductees.

Lucy-Mae Denton introduced Silver City Mayor Ken Ladner.

Ladner said: "Right after I became mayor, I got a call from the LGBTQ group asking me to welcome people to their fiesta. I didn't know what to say, but my wife said: 'Just tell them why you came here and why you stayed here.' I said to them that the only thing we care about when you come here, is we want you to love one another. That's why I call Silver City the City of Unconditional Love."

Muavé Sanders introduced WNMU President Joseph Shepard who attended virtually. Shepard said: "When I was a kid, I certainly never thought one day I would be a Hall of Fame inductee. You know where I am. I'm in Santa Fe for the beginning of the legislative session tomorrow. As I listened to what everyone was saying, I thought back to my growing up in Buckeye, Arizona. We were segregated. The Black families lived near the dump; the Hispanic families lived to the south, and the Anglos were sandwiched between. It's just the way it was. But then I took a job in Mexico. It showed me a new world, and I learned that the color of one's skin doesn't matter. What would Martin Luther King say today? Have we made progress? I think we have made progress, by the diversity of those in the audience. But we have a long way to go in closing the educational gap, the economic gap. I want to change my world of Silver City, Grant County and New Mexico. I've been able to stand on the shoulders of others. We must use our shoulders with the boost of others. I am privileged to be and servant in addressing the needs of all."

Frances Vasquez introduced the third inductee, Christina Wolford, who graduated from WNMU with bachelors and a masters. "Wolford said to me she has a passion for helping others who can't help themselves. Others describe her as a mecca for those who need help."

Wolford said the honor was the first award she had received. "I have a passion to help the overlooked. I was part of the minority where I grew up, because I'm Anglo. I agree with the letter to Martin Luther King Jr, about not sneezing, and I also have the goal of being told one day: 'Well done, good and faithful servant.'"

Brundage then welcomed Jessica Morales, assistant dean of student life development, who gave the closing remarks: "Everyone must make a commitment to change."