The YMCA of Greater Charlotte honored Martin Luther King, Jr., at its 30th annual celebration of the holiday to commemorate his birthday, drums echoing inside the Charlotte Convention Center in uptown as people gathered for a prayer breakfast.
Niambi Goings, executive director of the McCrorey YMCA, said the event serves as a reminder to continue to inform others about Dr. King’s impact on society.
“It is important that we carry Dr. King’s legacy forward. It is important that we make sure our future generations are aware of the work that he did, and how they can use that to move their lives forward," Goings said. "And then, I think it’s always good to have opportunities to come together, reconnect, reset and remember why we do what we do.”
This year, the focus was on uniting and collaborating with different people and organizations.
The event included guest speaker Dr. Tonya Matthews, president and CEO of the International African American Museum in Charleston, South Carolina.
Proceeds from the event will support the McCrorey YMCA, located on Beatties Ford Road. It’s in a low-income community designated as one of the city’s Corridors of Opportunity.
“These communities are home to so many of our young people, bright minds, ideas, and really what they need is the opportunity and the resources to be able to bring their thought, visions, and initiative to pass," Goings said.
Donations will go toward providing job opportunities for youth and supporting the McCrorey YMCA's senior programs.