LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — He didn’t just want people to dream the dream — he wanted them to live the dream.
That message resonated with more than 500 people who gathered Monday for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast hosted by the Sisters in Service Foundation and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. The event brought together generations of community members for a morning of celebration, fellowship, faith and music honoring the life and legacy of Dr. King. This year’s theme, “Now Is the Time,” encouraged attendees to take action in their communities by showing compassion, hope and service to others.
The keynote speaker was Dr. Ariel C. Williams, a Lima Central Catholic graduate, who emphasized advocacy, presence and mentorship as essential ways to make a difference.
“Taking a stance on advocacy and knowing that you don't need a title to advocate for someone in your community, someone in your neighborhood. I also think that presence is huge. You make a difference when you walk into a room, and I think that that's important, someone's watching you and someone's learning from you, and so being present really, really is important. And I'd say, lastly, mentorship. I think we can all be mentors,” Williams said.
Attendees said the breakfast serves as a meaningful reminder of Dr. King’s impact and the ongoing responsibility to carry his message forward.
“I know it was important to just share time with the community on MLK Day and support the people who are talking for MLK,” said Joseph Reddick, a student at Elida High School.
William Jackson said attending was a way to honor King’s legacy.
“I just think back to the heritage of Dr. Martin Luther King. I think it's worthy of me to show up and honor his name,” Jackson said.
For Junitha Jones Morris, the event has become a long-standing tradition.
“This has been just one thing that I take dear to my heart to do a service, and I feel like this is a service first thing in the morning,” Morris said.
Paula Snyder Belousek, president of the Center for Peace & Reconciliation, said the breakfast is both a celebration and a call to action.
“We need to continue to work for peace, for racial justice in our community, and so it's fantastic just to come together with the community to celebrate his legacy, but also to commit ourselves to continue working on the things that Dr. King worked about, talked about in his lifetime,” Belousek said.
This year marked the 31st annual MLK Memorial Breakfast.
