Community gathers to honor King

Yolanda King ignites Eisenhower crowd

Positive energy echoed from the rafters and shook the foundation of Eisenhower Auditorium last night.

When the Voices of Joy Choir sang its last soulful note, and the auditorium lights came on to signify the end of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemorative tribute, audience members did not move.

They sat in nonviolent protest, refusing for the night to end and demanding an encore -- and they received it.

"(The program) was absolutely fantastic," said Jelana Mouzon, a member of Black Caucus. "I hope people take all the messages that were presented here tonight and apply them to everyday life."

King spoke with eloquence and enthusiasm, grabbing the audience's attention from the beginning. It was an interactive speech; the crowd murmured agreement, laughed in unity, clapped with excitement and shouted out hearty "amens" at opportune times.

A recurring theme of King's speech was the possibilities available to make a difference in the world and the freedom to choose to act on those possibilities.

"Choosing is a very powerful act," she said. "In every moment of your life, you can choose."

King recounted the tale of Rosa Parks as an example of someone who chose to stand up for herself and, as a result of that choice, changed the world forever. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, Maya Angelou, and her father, King wove an inspiring speech that transcended time with its universal messages.

"She had a very good point that we each have to make a choice as to where we stand and what we can do to improve relations among others," said Uretta Gardner (graduate-communication disorders).

King received a long standing ovation for her efforts and then the choir and NOMMO took the limelight for the rest of the program. With drums, bongos, and percussive shakers, NOMMO danced in brightly colored traditional costumes to pulsing rhythms.

Sassy Ross (freshman-management and international business), a dancer in NOMMO said, "The goal of the group is to show Penn State students a side of African and African-American culture through the self-expression of dancing."

The King commemorative tribute left many spectators speechless and excited to apply his principles once again, as they were used during the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

"What I admire most about Martin Luther King Jr. is his willing self-sacrifice on behalf of equality and human dignity," said James B. Stewart, vice provost for educational equity. "He never sought material gain for what he did. He was willing to put himself in physical jeopardy for the cause of justice and freedom."