By Sylvia Benavidez
Monday night temperatures were quickly dropping throughout the evening to the eventual zero degrees at midnight, but that did not dissuade attendance at the 8th Annual MLK Celebration & Resource Fair. Cressie Vargo, one of the organizers, shared that over 225 people attended the event at Marshall Opportunity High School and that she appreciated first time sponsor Oaklawn Hospital helping to make that happen. In a later social media post, she stated, “I am happy to see that so many find Dr. King’s Dream still important and relevant, and we are looking forward to next year.”
The frigid temperatures did not discourage Keynote Speaker Leslie Spicer Williams from sharing her story. Originally from Albion and graduating from Albion Senior High School in 1986, Spicer Williams came all the way from Canton because she believes in Dr. King’s message and in Albion’s future. She has family and property in Albion, holds a position as the talent acquisition for Ford Motor Company’s Blue Oval plant in Marshall, has hosted events such as the Wildcat seminars, and raised funds for youth programs in Albion.
In a phone interview Tuesday, Spicer Williams explained how Dr. King’s message has influenced her throughout her life. All of her investment in Albion comes from the very heart of what he taught throughout his civil rights career – creating and maintaining community. Spicer Williams comes back to the city over and over again, she said, “just for the love of my community. I always want to give back. I want to be a part of the growth of the community. Even though it seems that with all of the industry that has left, what keeps bringing me back is the love of my community and to not see it dissipate, to continue to watch it thrive and grow.”
Spicer Williams left Albion to go to college in Ann Arbor and play women’s basketball. She credits her success there because of her experiences in Albion. “It’s a jewel. I was a division one student athlete on a full scholarship from little old Albion. It was a blessing. I was a record holder at the University of Michigan.”
Speaking at the celebration was an honor for her. “It meant a lot to be asked to come home.” She is a distinguished Alumni for Albion Sr. High School and was heard by Frost giving a speech for one of their previous ceremonies. At the Dr. King celebration, Spicer Williams pulled from that inspiration. “We should always have pride in where we are from, never give up on our community, regardless what experiences the community has grown through.”
What I want to resonate with Albion is never give up on your community, always give back to your community because that is where the blessing lies, that’s where the spirit of growth continues, and like I said last night, there is no place like home.”
The celebration of Dr. King meant a lot to her also. She was inspired from his example and shared what those qualities were. “His patience, his resilience, his spirit of giving back, and never giving up. In spite of what the outliers were doing or saying, the people that segregated us and tried to keep us down, we would still rise and persevere… We knew there was going to be something positive on the other side of it if we just persevere, if we just held on.”
Dr. King’s message she believes still has value and purpose for all people today. “Even though he was killed the year I was born, for his message to resonate with me when I didn’t even know who he was. For his message to resonate with me 56 years of age later, that’s powerful. That’s powerful that people still believe in his dream, that people believe his message is still relevant, and that people are still speaking his messages… You know what he said was truth.” She wants Albion’s to never give up and to continue to believe in what they can accomplish through cooperation and Dr. King’s example of embracing community. “He never gave up on his faith. We must never give up on the faith that Albion is a wonderful, beautiful small city that continues to thrive despite all the changes it has experienced. There is good in everyone. It may not be glaringly obvious but it’s there.”
Watching the youth perform at the event warmed her heart. “The dancing, the Albion College singers. I think they were planning for a little over a hundred people and over 200 show up. That to me sends a message that there is still a lot of things that we can share with our youth and mentor our youth… there is still a lot of activity, opportunities, and participation in Albion and that was a blessing to see. It really was.”
Long time Albion resident and author Octavia Crawford Turner is one of those Albion mentors who attended the event and was a recipient of one of the awards given out during the proceedings. Her Beloved Community Award was “For your dedication to uplifting and empowering the youth of Albion.” She shared in a Tuesday interview, “I am honored to receive this award, and I don’t take it lightly. Serving is in my blood. God wants us to love and encourage each other. We all have value. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. saw value in everyone and so should we.”
During the night, teenagers to young adults celebrated that message in song, dance, poetry and theatrical readings. Frost and Ronnie Simms, current leader of the Albion Branch of the NAACP gave The Living Legacy Award to Robert Dunklin in recognition for his previous years of service as past president of the Albion Branch of the NAACP. There were other Community Service Awards and in the true sense of community a free dinner and time for people to just enjoy each other’s company as Dr. King would have wanted.
