SOCM Members Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr., Day!
SOCM members celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr., Day all around the state and we're so pleased with the turnout! Check out SOCM on Flickr for more pictures.
SOCM is committed to being a truly diverse and anti-racist organization, as evidenced by the formation of our Anti-Racism Transformation Team. SOCM staff and many members have had both internal and external training in dismantling racism. We believe that in order to become a true social justice organization, we need to incorporate facets of all groups of people into our important work.
Jackson- Over 300 people came to the MLK Day event in Jackson. Lane College hosted a morning of inspirational speakers who talked about the new Voter ID law and the importance of working together in order to keep our constitutional rights. Immediately following the morning program, the NAACP hosted a march to City Hall, where they had more speakers and launched a voter registration drive.
Columbia- SOCM members participated in well-attended annual march and community celebration in Columbia. Community members marched from the downtown courthouse two miles, through intermittent rain, to the site of the celebration service at a local church. Activities continued throughout the day and featured various speakers, dance groups, community choirs, and meals.
Knoxville- SOCM members were among several hundred community members who marched in honor of Dr. King on January 16th. The annual parade featured nearly one hundred different groups from high schools to churches to non-profit organizations. They all marched two miles along the appropriately named Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd. in east downtown Knoxville. Some members later went to a special dinner and speaker hosted by United Campus Workers.
Crossville- Christians for Justice and Peace hosted its second annual ecumenical prayer service at the Palace Theatre in Crossville. The service addressed those suffering from poverty and those who work for social and economic justice. SOCM members spoke about our organization's history of working to empower Tennesseans from all walks of life.
