Funding for Martin Luther King Day event in jeopardy
NORTH OF WILSHIRE — More than 600 people of all faiths and colors crowded into a Santa Monica church on Monday to celebrate the birthday of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and reaffirm their commitment to the struggle for civil rights.
“Martin Luther King was an apostle of love. But more importantly, he was an apostle of action — social action,” said Dr. Robert Adams, vice president of Santa Monica College and one of several community speakers at the service.
The city’s top educators, politicians, bureaucrats and religious leaders attended the event, which was held at the First United Methodist Church on 11th Street and Washington Avenue. Speakers urged the assembled crowd to honor the past, appreciate the present and continue to work until everybody shares in basic civil rights.
Keynote speaker, United States District Judge Terry J. Hatter, who oversees the Central District of California, called the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to deseg-regate schools the most important judicial ruling of American history.
Hatter, who recited lines from King’s famous “I have a dream” speech given in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 26, 1963, also quoted some of the master writer and speaker’s lesser-known lines. Before walking off stage to a roaring standing ovation, Hatter recited this poem: “I sought my soul, but my soul I could not see. I sought my God, but he eluded me. I sought my brother, and I found all three.”
Monday’s event marked the 19th annual celebration in Santa Monica and one of the largest of its kind in Southern California. It was hosted by the Martin Luther King, Jr., Westside Coalition.
“I can’t tell you how happy it makes me as a member of this community to look out at, literally, a rainbow coalition,” said Nat Trives, treasurer of the event. Later, as ushers prepared to pass around collection plates, Trives added, “As the Honorable Judge Terry Hatter speaks, be very quiet — and only put very quiet things in the plate.”
“I can’t tell you how happy it makes me as a member of this community to look out at, literally, a rainbow coalition.” — — NAT TRIVES Treasurer MLK, Jr., Westside Coalition
A total of $1,889.50 was raised, Trives later announced.
But organizers will need to raise much more if City Hall doesn’t kick in its usual $9,000 donation this year. When the projected budget was worked on last year, City Hall staffers recommended cutting funding for all nonprofit events. More is expected to be known next week at the preliminary budget sessions and a final decision will be made by officials when the budget is adopted this summer.
“It’s a fabulous event and clearly we’re all intent on preserving it,” City Manager Susan McCarthy said after the service. “We just need to find the funding.”
Also part of the program was music from the SMC Emeritus Gospel Choir, the John Adams Middle School Norsemen Honor Choir and singer Tracy Kennedy. In addition, three SMC students — Hyun Joo Chung, Nehasi Ronald Lee and Mark A. Mayfield — were granted scholarships for their essays on civil rights. Matthew Williamson, a senior at Venice High School, was given the Youth Achievement Award for his involvement in academics, sports and church.
Using the imagery of an exhausted civil rights marcher whose feet are tired but heart is full, Rabbi Neil Commess-Daniels closed the event by urging everyone to continue the struggle — and work towards ending violence and war.
“Let’s march those feet away from the moon and Mars, and towards affordable, government-provided healthcare for every individual,” Commess-Daniels said to booming applause. “Let’s march away from taking another penny away from our schools... Let’s march away and walk away from the lie of a minimum wage, and towards a true, livable wage...”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 20, 2004. Read the original PDF.