Martin Luther King celebration in Tacoma inspires hope

At the start of Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. birthday celebration, Mayra Gingrey challenged those sitting inside the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall to set aside their obstacles and challenges for a few hours.

“Experience what it feels like to dream, to believe, to hope,” said Gingrey, human rights manager for the City of Tacoma’s Human Rights and Human Services Department.

She hoped that the music, reflections and performances would inspire and help each of the nearly 2,000 men, women and children gathered to keep King’s dream alive.

“(King) provided us with hope at a time when we needed it,” Gingrey said. “That same hope is something we need in our hearts, in our homes and in our community right now.”

Over the next two hours, performers sang, danced and prompted members of the crowd to jump out of their seats and clap their hands as snowflakes fell outside.

Among the loudest applause was for 6-year-old Jaelin Neal after he belted out “Because of Who You Are.” Dressed in a black suit and red tie, the youngster stood alone on the stage as he sang. The state, county and city flags stood behind him, each nearly double Jaelin’s size.

“Fantastic,” said the event’s master of ceremonies, Matthew Williams III, after Jaelin’s performance.

Asha Jaskar enjoyed about 25 minutes of the performances before she got antsy and wanted to move. Her dad, Ravi Jaskar, made his 1-year-old daughter a bracelet with a green plastic flower and yellow pipe cleaner at a craft table in the exhibition hall’s lobby area.

Then, he kept a watchful eye as she walked – and sometimes ran – back and forth on the carpet. Jaskar and his wife, Karen, have attended the Tacoma Dome event for the past five years.

“Last year, it was a lot easier,” Jaskar said. “This year, she wants to run.”

Asha liked the opening performance by the Pacific Lutheran University’s Lute Nation step team and the singing of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by Tena DuBerry. But her most favorite moment might have come earlier when she got a blinking blue reflector light from a booth in the lobby.

The light was clipped to a pocket of Asha’s pink jacket as she pounded around in her pink-and-brown snow boots.

Even though he spent time watching his daughter instead of the performances, Jaskar said it was worth it to come.

“It’s kind of an important day to do something to celebrate Dr. King,” the Tacoma man said.

Sprinkled between the musical performances were speeches from local politicians. The theme of the 24th annual tribute to the slain civil rights leader was “Forgiving the Past – Embracing the Future.”

The celebration is sponsored by the city’s Human Rights and Human Services Department.

Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy urged the audience to find a way to service each other and to fight for humanity, compassion and justice.

“We are here to share Dr. King’s resolve,” McCarthy said. “I am here to express my collective resolve to fight for the collective we.”

Keynote speaker, Ester Nicholson, hit on the theme of this year’s event – forgiveness. She said she was addicted to drugs and alcohol and was a “victim of others.”

She overcame her addictions once she started to forgive. Twenty five years later, she continues to be sober.

Nicholson harkened on King’s life and his work, noting that he didn’t choose the easy path.

“Dr. King never gave us permission to be wimps,” she said. “He never gave us permission to be doormats.”

Participants at Monday’s event donated 3,280 pounds of food and $300 cash during the annual food drive for the Emergency Food Network.

Afterward, Eileen Jordan heaped praise on the event. She’s attended the annual celebration each year for the past two decades.

“I love the diversity,” she said. “Every year, it’s something different.”

Her friend, Crystal Davis, was equally impressed.

“I loved it,” said Davis, who had never seen the celebration in person before. “It was very enlightening, very informative.”

Stacey Mulick: 253-597-8268
stacey.mulick@thenewstribune.com