JANUARY 11, 2005

Community Celebration to Honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Grand Junction, CO - The Mesa State College AmeriCorps Project and the Black Student Alliance of Mesa State College are sponsoring a community celebration in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, Jan. 17.

Themed "Celebrate Difference! We Still Have a Dream," the celebration will begin at noon with participants marching from their original locations and converging at the Grand Junction City Hall's "Cornerstones of Law and Liberty" at 250 North Fifth Street. Participants are asked to carry banners and signs that promote peace and diversity as they march to the community gathering.

Scheduled for 12:45 p.m., the community gathering will feature guest speakers Councilman Harry Butler, Mayor Bruce Hill, Mesa State College president Tim Foster, Vance Johnson and Rev. Jim Allmond. They will honor Dr. King's work, as well as highlight the value of diversity and acceptance in the Grand Valley.

"Mesa State College has a diversity statement that reads 'We believe that all people, regardless of gender, linguistic heritage, marital status, origin, religion or sexual orientation, have something to contribute and that these contributions benefit us all," said Mary Barnett, event organizer and Mesa State AmeriCorps Project volunteer. "On this day, we want to honor Dr. King by peacefully celebrating the diversity that exists within our college, city, state, nation and world."

Both the march and the community gathering are open to the public. Groups wishing to participate in the march are asked to contact Barnett at 970.245.5707 for additional information.

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