Justice Sunday slated to take place virtually
LANCASTER — The 21st annual Justice Sunday will be a virtual event this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Justice Sunday commemorates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King and the great work that he did toward justice, Bishop Henry Hearns said.
“The City of Lancaster took this on all the way back to 1988,” Hearns said of honoring King.
This year’s play is called “Eclectic.” As in previous years, the play features painting, poetry, and music written and performed by local students.
“It’s kind of a tribute to what music has done for the country to help establish social change throughout the last couple centuries. The kids have worked very hard,” said Nigel Holly, Justice Sunday coordinator.
Students from Antelope Valley High School, Eastside High School, Highland High School, Knight High School, SOAR High School, Discovery Elementary School, Anaverde Hills School and Bethel Christian participated. Featured students include Ginger Carruthers from Knight High School, and Nianna Long and Veronica Castro.
“We just want to make sure that we’re focused on the passion of the kids,’ Holly said.
Holly wrote a poem that a student turned into a song.
“We really just pushed the envelope,” Holly said. ‘We were a little time-constrained
this year and so it’s our hope that we produced a product that our Valley could be proud of.”
Holly added the City of Lancaster has been tremendous in supporting the program, even taking ownership of it and putting its resources toward it.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the play will be streamed at 4 p.m. Sunday on the City of Lancaster’s Facebook Live page, https://fb.me/e/RnyHqacr. It will also be streamed on the City’s YouTube channel and broadcast on Channel 28.
“We continue our trend of developing kids and seeing them off to college,” Holly said.
Justice Sunday started in 2000 by Addie Richburg, co-founder and President and Chairman of the Board of the National Alliance of Faith and Justice.