'The power of community': NAACP hosts prayer breakfast to honor Martin Luther King Jr.

Diane Smith, Record-Courier
·2 min read
The Rev. Amy Gopp, senior pastor Kent United Church of Christ, delivers the invocation after calling all faith leaders in the audience to join her.
The Rev. Amy Gopp, senior pastor Kent United Church of Christ, delivers the invocation after calling all faith leaders in the audience to join her.
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Community members honored the past and looked toward the future Saturday at a prayer breakfast for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

It was the first time since 2019 that the annual Portage County NAACP event was held in person.

Attendees filled a hall at the Kent United Church of Christ in Kent, and others joined the event via Zoom.

Keynote speaker the Rev. Patricia Dennison stressed the power of coming together as a community. The senior pastor of the Ravenna Avenue Church of God and member of the Ravenna Board of Education said she grew up learning of King's legacy. He was assassinated when she was 10.

The Rev. Patricia Dennison, senior pastor of Ravenna Avenue Church of God, delivers her keynote speech.
The Rev. Patricia Dennison, senior pastor of Ravenna Avenue Church of God, delivers her keynote speech.

"We the community still have work to do," Dennison said. "The playing field still is not even."

People must not only come together to address injustice, she said, but be willing to come up with solutions: "That is the power of a community coming together."

Dennison said many things — like conversation, equity, inclusion, connections, consistency, change and being dissatisfied with the status quo — "gives power to the community."

More:Portage NAACP leader addresses area law enforcement

Master of ceremonies Geraldine Nelson asked two children to come on stage with her to talk about the future. A'emori Rackley, 8, and Eliot Cromes, 9, volunteered and Eliot gave an impromptu short speech about Martin Luther King Jr.
Master of ceremonies Geraldine Nelson asked two children to come on stage with her to talk about the future. A'emori Rackley, 8, and Eliot Cromes, 9, volunteered and Eliot gave an impromptu short speech about Martin Luther King Jr.

Throughout the breakfast, children and young adults were highlighted as the community's future, including 8-year-old A'emori Rackley and 9-year-old Eliot Cromes, who were introduced by master of ceremonies Geraldine Hayes Nelson, past president of the NAACP. Eliot, son of Portage County Treasurer Brad Cromes, gave an impromptu tribute to King, hailing King's efforts to ensure voter rights.

Brandon Bell, a vocalist from Kent State University, performs Saturday.
Brandon Bell, a vocalist from Kent State University, performs Saturday.

Brandon Bell led the group in singing "Lift Every Voice and Sing" and sang "A Change is Gonna Come." And Briah Daniel and Mariah Woods, students at the NAACP group at Windham High School, read a children's book about the colors in a crayon box — although the colors initially didn't like one another, they learned to appreciate the contributions each brought to a picture.

Briah Daniel and Mariah Woods, members of the Windham High School chapter of the NAACP, talk about diversity, reading the book "The Crayon Box That Talked" by Shane DeRolf.
Briah Daniel and Mariah Woods, members of the Windham High School chapter of the NAACP, talk about diversity, reading the book "The Crayon Box That Talked" by Shane DeRolf.

Other speakers included John Kennedy, political chair of the NAACP, who encouraged those in attendance to join the civil rights organization, and President Renee Romine, who outlined the organization's work. Romine said plans for the year ahead include a wellness fair, which will address many illnesses common in the Black community, like diabetes, sickle cell anemia and infant mortality.

"Bringing the people together to solve social justice issues is the only way we're going to change our community," she said.

Volunteers from CARE (Children Always Resisting Enemies) of Portage County help serve breakfast, including Julian Jones, 13, pouring gravy over a biscuit, at the Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast on Saturday at Kent United Church of Christ.
Volunteers from CARE (Children Always Resisting Enemies) of Portage County help serve breakfast, including Julian Jones, 13, pouring gravy over a biscuit, at the Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast on Saturday at Kent United Church of Christ.

Reporter Diane Smith can be reached at 330-298-1139 or dsmith@recordpub.com.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Portage NAACP hosts prayer breakfast to honor Martin Luther King Jr.