Monday, January 18, 2021
“Where Do We Go from Here – Chaos or Community?”
A wide range of activities reflect on Dr. King’s life and ministry
It has been a tough year of extraordinary challenges. While the Pandemic will keep us from marching, the Bristol community will have numerous opportunities to come together to celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
A virtual gathering will be streamed live on Monday, January 18 at 2:00 pm featuring prayer, readings, music and inspiration from community and faith leaders. Because many of the activities are virtual, organizers of Bristol’s MLK Day Annual Celebration expect record participation. People will be in their individual spaces but can come together with one voice. Together we can make a difference by contributing to the world Dr. King dreamed of and working with our neighbors to help those in need.
Bristol TN/VA and Abingdon VA will explore the same theme, “Where do we go from here: Chaos or Community?” inspired by Dr. King’s prophetic book of the same name, written in 1967, a year before his 1968 assassination. In the book, Dr. King reflects on the progress of a decade of civil rights efforts at a pivotal moment in history. Today, finding ourselves at another hinge moment in history, we must make a choice between the chaos of the present or working towards a brighter future with peace and justice for all.
Here is a preview of MLK Day-related activities (some of them extend into Jan/Feb 2021):
- Virtual community celebration Livestream, Monday January 18 at 2:00 pm.
- The YWCA of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia will be participating in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service by honoring healthcare, police and service essential workers in our area with cards of encouragement and is inviting the community to join in the project.
- Activities for empowering Youth through Girls Inc., YWCA TechGYrls, YMCA Youth. • Student Art show and competition – Bristol TN and VA public schools.
- Walking Challenge sponsored by Rivers Way commemorating marches in Selma and Montgomery using the MapMyWalk app.
- Second Harvest regional fundraiser to combat food insecurity.
- Numerous events organized by Appalachian Peace Education Center (APEC). • WBCM Radio Bristol Interview with the Director of a Civil Rights Museum and other programs. • Zoom Panel moderated by Dr. Martin Dotterweich, Director, King Institute for Faith & Culture on the theme of “Where do we go from here – chaos or community?”
For more information: In early January, YWCA Northeast TN and Southwest VA will post a regional calendar of events on their website ywcatnva.org which will be updated regularly.
