Officials honor MLK, bash Trump at scholarship event
CRANSTON — State officials and hundreds of community members gathered for the 35th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship breakfast at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet Monday hosted by the Ministers Alliance of Rhode Island, who this year will exceed $500,000 in scholarships to local students.
On the anniversary of King’s birth, speakers celebrated the late Reverend and his legacy and spoke of the importance of keeping his dream of equality alive. Several also took the opportunity to voice political opinions on President Donald Trump, accusing him of not sharing the values King spoke of.
“Today we have a president who speaks freely with racial slurs and innuendo,” said Reverend Don Anderson in his invocation, who quoted King, stating: ‘History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.”
Anderson is the Executive Minister of the Rhode Island State Council of Churches.
Rev. Justin Lester told the crowd to “keep smiling” and said the values promoted by King should be remembered every day of the year.
“We have to continue to hold these values and principles dearly,” said Lester. “And not let holidays be the only time we recognize black figures. Dr. King was a mentor and loved education, but he also loved leading other people.”
Providence College student Phionna Cayola Claude read a poem called “I choose love, not war.”
Governor Gina Raimondo used the occasion to promote her administration’s policy of offering free college tuition for students attending the Community College of Rhode Island – RI Promise. Ultimately, she said, there are many reasons to stay hopeful.
“A number of students here are going to CCRI, about 1,500 students will have
free college,” she said. “You shouldn’t have to be rich to go to college and get a good job.”
“I’m not going to make this an anti-Trump speech,” said Raimondo. “It will take all of us to stand up against the President and protect the people of Rhode Island.”
She also commented on Trump’s remarks last week, where he is alleged to have referred to Haiti and other nations as “s—thole countries.”
“The words he used last week were words I don’t let my kids use and they’re shockingly unpresidential,” she said. “We’re not going to take that and we’re not going to be silent either. The silence of our friends is more dangerous than the words of our enemies. Let’s recommit ourselves to one another and make Rhode Island a place a place where everyone is included and everyone has a chance.”
“Dr. King through his words and his life and through his death remind us that America is an idea,” said U.S. Senator Jack Reed. “An idea that all men and women are created equal and that we have the obligation to protect the law and encourage each American that they have the opportunity to use their talent for their family, themselves and the community.”
Some might fail, he said, but it won’t be because of their race or gender, but “because of the contents of their character.”
“Because of their decen- cy, their willingness to sacrifice and to share,” said Reed.
“Diversity has vanished as a virtue of the White House,” said U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.
Whitehouse further took the opportunity to promote Democratic Party politics at the breakfast honoring the legacy of the slain civil rights leader. He called the victory of Democratic Senator Doug Jones in Alabama a “little miracle in the Senate.”
“This election was a victory for the Senate, for our country, and a victory for Alabama,” Whitehouse added. “And it was a victory that Doug will be the first to tell you belongs to the African American voters of Alabama.”
“Our work doesn’t end with this breakfast,” he said. “We have a lot to do to be sure that those principles of our beloved community are realized.”
“The White House is led by the worst president I’ve seen in my 87 years,” said Keynote Speaker Rev. Dr. Sammy Vaughan, who added, “I would find it hard to believe that people here don’t know what peril this nation is in.”
Vaughan is a past president of the Rhode Island Ministers Alliance and a former pastor with St. James Baptist Church in Woonsocket and a 22-year veteran of the Navy.
Other officials in attendance included Rhode Is- land Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, Lt. Gov. Dan McKee, Central Falls Mayor James Diossa, Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, Rhode Island General Treasurer Seth Magaziner and Congressman David Cicilline.
Rev. Jabulani McCallister presented the scholarships to recipients.