Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love, 1963
Associate Justice O. Rogeriee Thompson, Teny O. Gross, and Clifford R. Montiero are three individuals who will be inducted into the 2010 Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Hall of Fame. Each has demonstrated, by word and deed, a fulfillment of Dr. Kings famous words.
In this seventh year since I first formed the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hall of Fame, we will honor these leaders for the substantial contributions they have made towards acceptance, social justice, civil rights and equality, and the extraordinary example they continue to set.
In 2003, at the 40th anniversary of Dr. Kings I Have a Dream speech, we announced the creation of the first-ever municipal Hall of Fame, to honor those who have lived lives reflecting the spirit and service of Dr. King. Over those years, we have honored such leaders as: Robert L. Bailey IV, William G. McLoughlin, Roosevelt Bells Benton, Nancy Gewirtz, Frank Graham, Hon. Frederick Lippitt, Horace Craig and Rev. E. Naomi Craig, Malcolm Farmer II, Rev. Dr. Raymond E. Gibson, Hon. Julius C. Michaelson, Hon. Joseph E. Newsome, Michael S. Van Leesten, Chace Baptisa and M. Charles Bakst. Some like Dr. King are no longer with us but the powerful impact they have made remains.
I am heartened by the number and range of nominees each year, and so, too, does the challenge the Selection Committee faces in narrowing down finalists. This year, the inductees were no less impressive. On Tuesday, January 19, at 7 pm in the Providence City Hall Council Chambers, we will hold our annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hall of Fame induction ceremony, in which we urge you to come and join us in an evening of celebration and as we honor the following inductees:
Associate Justice O. Rogeriee Thompson. Nominated by President Barack Obama to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, she has had a lengthy and prestigious career in the practice of law, serving early on as a staff attorney at Rhode Island Services as a Reginald Haber Smith Fellow, subsequently as a practitioner in partnership with her sister focusing on Native American law, civil rights and family law, and later as a member of the City of Providence Solicitors Office. Her expertise quickly earned her a place in Rhode Islands Judiciary as Rhode Islands first African-American woman District court justice and was within a decade elevated to the Rhode Island Superior Court bench, again, as its first African-American woman. The United States Senate is expected to take up her confirmation early in 2010.
Teny O. Gross. Founder of the Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence, he understands from first-hand experience the devastation of war, in a place where terrorism remains an everyday part of life. A former Israeli soldier, he has been called, an articulate, convincing spokesperson for advocating nonviolence. He became a former Boston Streetworker in the early 1990s, and living testament to Dr. Kings philosophy of attacking forces of evil, not persons doing evil. With the help of two clergy in South Providence, he launched Providences response to youth violence in 2000, with the creation of the Institute, and has in years since created a program saving youth from the deadly clutches of gang- and gun violence and guiding them to new opportunities.
Clifford R. Montiero. A civil rights advocate for half-a-century, he has been a courageous leader in the movement to guarantee all men and women equal rights and opportunities, serving in such critical leadership roles in the Rhode Island Congress of Racial Equality organization, as co-founder of the Opportunities Industrialization Center of Rhode Island a former successful initiative helping our most underserved populations, and as the President of the NAACP, in Rhode Island for the past decade and in its 100th anniversary year. Clifford Montiero has also enjoyed the respect of many for his long and distinguished career in law enforcement, in this city and state, and his advocacy for civil rights for all through his service, which includes marches organized and lead by the late Dr. King.
These inductees have set the bar high for all of us: how will we make a contribution towards acceptance, social justice, civil rights and equality in our city and during our lives? On Monday, January 18, we will have one important way to show how we will demonstrate Dr. Kings teachings, by joining us in a day on, not a day off.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, led by the Corporation for National and Community Service, is a national effort to make the MLK Holiday a day on, not a day off, which is intended to be a day devoted to service and volunteerism in honor of Dr. Kings legacy. Earlier this year, I signed onto the Cities for Service Coalition, which is a nationwide effort to engage Americans in service in tribute to Dr. Kings legacy.
This is an opportunity for all Providence residents to join together in the spirit of Dr. Kings legacy to help transform our city through service, and I am calling on all of our residents to look for opportunities to volunteer their time on this holiday to strengthen our city, whether its through organizing a clean up, helping an elderly neighbor or mentoring a child.
Providence residents can visit Serve.gov/MLKDay to find out about local MLK Day service opportunities and design their own service projects. The site also features tool kits and other resources that will help area residents mobilize their neighbors to support a service project that addresses local challenges. Non-profit and service organizations can also use the site to register their projects and recruit volunteers.
Also, please note the next My Time with the Mayor is January 13, at 5 pm 7 pm, at the Federal Hill House Association, 9 Courtland Street. Each person or group is invited to meet privately with Mayor Cicilline for ten minutes, and meetings take place on a first-come, first serve basis.