Please join us as we honor the memory and life of Martin Luther King, Jr. and explore his concept of the “Beloved Community.” Dr. King taught that the Beloved Community is a society built on love, justice, and nonviolence, where people overcome hatred and conflict to recognize the inherent worth in everyone, creating a reconciled, interconnected world.

Today, we ground these ideals in real-world courage by connecting Dr. King’s vision to Robert Shetterly’s Americans Who Tell the Truth portraits. We will examine the lives of six prophetic Americans who exemplify this teaching:

• William Barber, II: A leader in moral fusion politics, bringing people together across racial and economic lines to fight systemic poverty.

• Cesar Chavez: Co-founder of the United Farm Workers; he proved that nonviolent labor organizing restores dignity to the exploited.

• Deqa Dhalac: The first Somali-American mayor in the U.S., showing how immigrant leadership strengthens our local communities.

• John Lewis: A titan of the Civil Rights Movement who lived by the creed of "good trouble" and unwavering nonviolence.

• Aldo Leopold: Author of the "Land Ethic," he expanded the community to include soil, water, plants, and animals.

• Kathy Kelly: A peace activist who practices radical empathy for those in war zones, challenging us to reject the violence of war.

“During this time of increased violence in our society and around the world, let us come together to learn from prophetic Americans how to choose a different path.”