Gainesville community once again celebrates the King National Holiday in fine fashion

Local Black leaders were once again at the forefront of a celebration to honor the legacy of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the national holiday held to honor King.

“We thank you for your part in the activities, your presence and for bringing your children because they need to observe history in the making,” said the Rev. Dr. Marie Herring, pastor of DaySpring Baptist Church and chaplain of the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Florida, during remarks giving as hundreds of people attended the 2023 King Celebration march in downtown Gainesville on Monday.

Sponsored by the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Florida Inc. and its partners, the event featured the King Commission's Hall of Fame enshrinement of community activist Chanae Jackson and recognition of Makayla Flanders as the recipient of the 2023 Edna M. Hart Keeper of the Dream Scholarship recipient.

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Diyonne McGraw, vice president of the King Commission and an Alachua County School Board member, shared a quote from King which states, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

“We must embrace a young person and volunteer,” McGraw said. Dr. King would want us to embrace our children because they are in a crisis.”

McGraw said how the youth needs the help of the adults now more than ever with the increase in gun violence and drug substance abuse.

“You no longer can afford to stay silent," McGraw said. “We need you to be involved. I am glad to have Makayla Flanders who represent the youth. She is doing well and she understands the assignment. I am proud of Chanae Jackson who is not afraid and is bold enough to speak up for what is right.”

Elected and appointed officials each had two minutes to speak.

Speakers include Mayor Harvey Ward; Rep. Yvonne Hayes Hinson (D-20; Jess Irby of the Clerk of Court; John Power of Alachua County Tax Collector’s Office; Ayesha Solomon, Alachua County Property Appraiser; Tina Certain, district 1 Alachua County School Board Member; and Marihelen Wheeler, district 2 Alachua County commissioner.

McGraw introduced Flanders, the Edna M. Hart Keeper of the Dream Scholarship recipient, as she walked to the podium to receive her plaque.

Flanders is a Dual enrolled senior at Eastside High School and Santa Fe College.

Her career goal is to be a veterinarian that specializes in exotic and large animals.

She wants to give back to the community by bringing representation to the veterinarian community as a black female doctor and be an inspiration to young girls of color who want to enter the STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) field.

Rodney J. Long, the MLKCOF president, introduced Jackson before her speech.

Jackson is this year’s Hall of Fame honoree.

Jackson is a passionate social justice community activist, servant leader, strategist, entrepreneur, and published author.

Since 2018, Jackson has strategically built an activism brand based on accountability, compassion, credibility, empathy, and authenticity and has earned the title of The Accidental Activist after consistently sounding the alarm and speaking truth to power despite the consequences.

The Eastside High School graduate earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Saint Leo University and is involved with several organizations such as the Black Parent Support Network, Florida Forward Coalition, Healing For All, Alachua County Education Activists to name a few.

Jackson began her speech sharing the deep love she has as a mother while also feeling completely powerless due to the implicit biases she faces in society that can determine her future without her input.

“Being black is the first thing people see,” Jackson said. “They use implicit bias, keep our voices minimized and think they can make the decisions for us without us.”

She mentioned how King understood his purpose by organizing the people to fight for change.

“Comfortability is the enemy of change,” Jackson said. “Our time is now. The injustice we endure is everybody’s problem.”

Jackson said she stands for people being provided quality food, housing, and basic freedoms.

“My assignment is to create a voice for the voiceless,” Jackson said. “The fight must start from within to make sure we don’t perpetuate the same inequities,” Jackson said.

Jackson said resources are important for communities to thrive.

“Open the doors for true systemic change and not symbolism,” Jackson said.

Cynthia Chiari said events like the enshrinement program and the MLK March are important for people to understand King’s mission.

“This is a very important part of history that children need to learn,” Chiari said. “If we join together as one, we can make the world better for our children.”

Larod Fleming, a Live Oak native who has been living in Gainesville for 22 years, said he loves the unity MLK Day brings to the community.

“It’s good for the community to get together with like-minded individuals and to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.,” Fleming said. “He never stayed silent and was very courageous.”

Keturah Ford of New Jersey attended the march and the enshrinement program with her daughter.

Ford said she wanted her daughter to experience first-hand the impact King had on people’s lives.

“She was able to see modern-day leaders apply King’s mission,” Ford said. “It was powerful.”

Ford said that when King comes to mind, the word ‘freedom’ appears.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gainesville community activist Chanae Jackson enshrined in King HOF