MLK Unity Day 2012

Bette Sharpe / Glendale Daily Planet
Vice Mayor Steve Frate Reads Proclamation
for Unity Day By Mayor Elaine Scruggs
(Listen to proclamation and read text HERE<Need to finish this -es>)

CITY NAMES MARICOPA COUNTY COMMUNITY
COLLEGE DISTRICT BOARD PRESIDENT
AS WINNER OF
“PROMOTING INCLUSIVENESS AWARD”

Randolph Stephen Elias Lumm has been committed to ensuring educational access for everyone in Maricopa County regardless of a student’s ethnic background, religion or economic status as the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) board president.

On Jan. 13, Lumm was recognized by the city of Glendale for his dedication to diversity and inclusiveness.

Lumm joins a prestigious list of Promoting Inclusiveness awardees that continue Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s work of promoting a society that is “just, peaceful and understanding.”

“Lumm’s community activism spans decades, including his work organizing participation in the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. marches while the NAACP was striving for a national Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday,” said Joe Hernandez, chair of the award committee.

While Lumm’s profession has been in counseling, he has a long history of being an active community member. Lumm served on the governing board of the Pendergast Elementary School District where he worked to ensure equality and inclusiveness for parents and students in school events and academic activities. He has also served as president of the National Caucus of Hispanic School Board Members and the Arizona Hispanic and Native American School Board Forum encouraging members to improve educational institutions at state and national levels, advocating for positive changes and highlighting the contributions of the respective cultures. As chair of the Phoenix Chapter of the Arizona Hispanic Community Forum he organized the group’s participation in the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. marches and extended participation in several rallies and marches advocating for justice for all minorities in the areas of education, economy, immigration reform and employment practices.

FREEDOM RIDER JIM ZWERG IS KEYNOTE SPEAKER
AT GLENDALE’S ANNUAL UNITY DAY EVENT

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet
Freedom Rider and minister Jim Zwerg
and EMCEE Susan Casper, ABC 15 News Anchor

Freedom Rider and minister Jim Zwerg was the keynote speaker at Glendale’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Day Luncheon. Zwerg helped change American history in the 1960s with his involvement in the civil rights movement. You may listen to the presentation using the link at the end of this article.

Attending Beloit College in Wisconsin, Zwerg, a white student, witnessed several instances of prejudice against his college roommate and friend who happened to be black. To fully experience what it was like to be in the minority group, he applied and was accepted to Beloit's exchange program with (predominantly black-enrolled) Fisk University in Tennessee.

In 1961, a 21-year-old Zwerg was introduced to nonviolence and became involved in the Civil Rights Movement at Fisk University. His participation in the Civil Rights Movement included lunch counter sit-ins, movie theater stand-ins and the Freedom Ride. He was accosted both verbally and physically in Nashville, arrested and jailed in Birmingham, Alabama, and savagely beaten in Montgomery, Alabama. When he called his parents for support before the ride, his mother stated Zwerg was “killing his father.”

The story of his role in the Freedom Ride has been featured in numerous articles, books and television documentaries. He has been a guest on Oprah and was featured in the PBS documentary "American Experience: Freedom Riders." You may watch trailers and the full movie in links provided later on this page. Photographs of Zwerg after his beating were published in "Time," "Life" and newspapers around the world. Zwerg, and the other nine students who continued the Freedom Ride, were honored in 1961 by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference as recipients of its prestigious Freedom Award. Zwerg has also received the Church Women United Human Rights Award and The Martin-Springer Institute’s Moral Courage Award.

Ed Sharpe / Glendale Daily Planet

After graduating from Beloit College in 1962, Zwerg pursued a degree in Theology at Garret Theological Seminary. In 1964 he became a minister in the United Church of Christ. After serving churches in Wisconsin, Jim moved to Tucson in 1970 to become the minister of the Casas Adobes United Church of Christ. He has also worked for IBM, a hospice, an agency serving persons with disabilities and Tucson Metropolitan Ministries.

Zwerg recounted the days of his life when he stood up for what he knew to be right and for everyone’s civil rights at the Unity Day Luncheon that celebrates the life and ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This luncheon emceed by ABC 15’s Susan Casper was held Friday, January 13 at the Glendale Civic Center, 5750 W. Glenn Dr. Glendale has developed this into one of the state’s premier celebrations bringing the community together in celebration of King’s work and the ongoing efforts to promote a society that is just, peaceful and understanding.

PBS Program: Freedom Riders Media

Episode: The Exchange Student: A Short Film from Freedom Riders

After deciding to participate in the Freedom Rides in May 1961, Jim Zwerg called his parents for support only to be told that he was "killing his father." As a white Freedom Rider, Zwerg was among the first to be attacked and sustained severe injuries.

You may purchase a DVD of this at the PBS site or watch online full version, special segment with Jim Zwerg and also a trailer below.

Freedom Riders: Watch the Full Film http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/freedomriders/watch

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr .
Unity Day Luncheon

Keeping the Dream Alive ... Making It a Reality for All!

Friday, January 13,2012 _ 11:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m.

SEATING OF GUESTS
Music performed by The New Testament Gospel Group

INVITATION FOR POSTING OF COLORS
Joe Hernandez, Event Co-Chairperson

POSTING OF COLORS AND NATIONAL ANTHEM
Glendale Police and Glendale Fire Department Honor Guard
Kulitea Trio, National Anthem
Marcia Love, Negro National Anthem

INTRODUCTION OF EMCEE
Stuart Kent, Event Co-Chairperson

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION OF DIGNITARIES
Susan Casper, ABC 15 News Anchor

OPENING REMARKS
Vice Mayor, Steve Frate

SPONSORS REMARKS
Joanna DeShay, APS

INVOCATION
Mark Martin, Senior Pastor Calvary Community Christian Church

Lunch and Entertainment

South Mountain High School Guitar Ensemble The New Testament Gospel Group

PRESENTATION OF PROMOTING INCLUSIVENESS AWARD
Kristen Krey, Diversity Chairperson

INTRODUCTION OF KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Don Logan, Diversity Administrator
Civil Rights Video

KEYNOTE ADDRESS
James·Zwerg
Presentation, Joe Hernandez and Don Logan

CLOSING REMARKS
Ed Beasley, City Manager

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Stuart Kent, MLK Event Co-Chairperson

Special thanks to The New Testament Gospel Group, Kulitea Trio, South Mountain High School Guitar Ensemble, Mark Martin - Calvary Community Christian Church Senior Pastor, Glendale Police and Glendale Fire Honor Guard, Glendale Historical Society, Glendale Civic Center and Arizona Catering

SUSAN CASPER - EMCEE

Susan Casper is an Emmy-nominated journalist and co-anchor of ABC1S Daybreak and Now@9.She brings more than a decade of experience to the Valley from WFTS-TV in Tampa where Susan was the first African American woman to anchor a primetime newscast. Susan has earned numerous accolades including awards from the Associated Press, the Society of Professional Journalists, and she has been recognized by the National Urban League, and the NAACP for outstanding leadership. In addition to being a passionate journalist, Susan is a mother of . twins and works in her community as a motivational speaker and volunteer.

JAMES ZWERG KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Attending Beloit College in Wisconsin, Zwerg witnessed several instances of prejudice against his black college roommate and friend. To experience what it was like to be in the minority group, he participated in Beloit's exchange program with (predominately black-enrolled) Fisk University in Tennessee. In 1961, 21-year-old Zwerg was introduced to nonviolence and became involved in the Civil Rights Movement participating in lunch counter sit-ins, movie theater stand-ins and the Freedom Ride. He was accosted both verbally and physically in Nashville, arrested and jailed in Birmingham, Alabama, and savagely beaten in Montgomery, Alabama.

The story of his role in the Freedom Ride has been featured in numerous articles, books and. television documentaries including "Oprah" and the PBS documentary. "American Experience: Freedom Riders."' Photographs of Zwerg after his beating were published in "Time," "Life" and newspapers around the world. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference honored Zwerg as recipients of its prestigious Freedom Award.

After graduating from Beloit College, Zwerg pursued a degree in Theology and became a minister in the United Church of Christ. In 1970 he moved to Tucson to become Casas Adobes United Church of Christ's minister. He has worked for IBM, a hospice agency, an agency serving persons with disabilities and Tucson Metropolitan Ministries. Now retired, Zwerg and his wife, Carrie, spend the majority of their time at their cabin in rural New Mexico.

PBS Program: Freedom Riders

Episode: The Exchange Student: A Short Film from Freedom Riders

You may purchase a DVD of this at the PBS site or watch online full version, special segment with Jim Zwerg and also a trailer below.

Freedom Riders: Watch the Full Film http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/freedomriders/watch

Ed Sharpe / Glendale Daily Planet
Martin Moreno was born in Adrian Michigan in 1950, where he grew up ... Currently Moreno is the Art Director of Las Artes de Maricopa County.
Listen to the Unity Day event video and hear more!