Martin Luther King Day

GAMBIER, Ohio (January 8, 2007) Kenyon College and Mount Vernon Nazarene University will cohost the fourth annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Breakfast on Monday, January 15. "Freedom: The Voice That Rings the Loudest" is the theme for the breakfast and program organized by the Dr. King Legacy Committee. The keynote speaker will be Charleta Tavares, a member of Columbus City Council since 1999. The event, which will be from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. in Kenyon's Gund Commons, is free and open to the public.

Tavares is chair of the city's Health, Housing, and Human Services Committee and also serves on the Development, Finance, Public Service, Zoning, and Rules and Reference committees. Prior to being elected to council, she served for five years as the first African-American female in the state legislature, as minority whip in the Ohio General Assembly. She is executive director of Multiethnic Advocates for Cultural Competence, president of the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation, and the chair of the Columbus/Franklin County Housing Advisory Board. Previous leadership positions include chief of the Children's Protection Section of the Ohio Attorney General's Office and four years' service as associate director of the Public Children Services Association of Ohio. Tavares also served as a legislative assistant and chief staff person to the Human Resources Subcommittee of the Ohio House Finance-Appropriations Committee.

Also on the program will be Pastor Dewayne E. Hubbard, of the Way of God Apostolic Church in Mount Vernon; Bridges to Christ Praise Dancers, of Canton; Chris Kennerly, assistant dean of students and director of multicultural affairs at Kenyon; and Terri Hubbard, of the Dr. King Legacy Committee. The Spirit of Vision Award will be presented, and special guests from the community will be recognized.

The event is open to the public, but reservations must be made by Wednesday, January 10, by calling Terri Hubbard at (740) 397-5702.