Contributed
Ten Greater Cincinnatians who personify the love and light that drive out hate and darkness, as modeled by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., will be honored at the 23rd annual MLK “Keep the Dream Alive” Ceremony. The event will be held on January 20, 2025, at 3 p.m., at the Church of the Resurrection, 1619 California Avenue in Bond Hill.
Everyone in the Greater Cincinnati community is invited to attend the free event.
Keynote speaker will be Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney, vice mayor of the City of Cincinnati. Courtis Fuller, a Hall of Fame broadcast journalist and retired news anchor and reporter at WLWT, will be the emcee. This year’s theme is “Let the Light Rise in the Darkness.”
The 2025 honorees are:
James Bond: Bond is a community activist dedicated to improving the quality of life for members of the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Stanley Rowe Community. He also has been an advisor and mentor to teens and young adults, held leadership positions within his church, and supported voter registration efforts.
Marvin G. Butts, III: Butts is a philanthropist and the president of multiple businesses and nonprofit organizations, including Air Marvin’s Limousine Service, MGB Records, and the Butts Family Foundation. He is an active volunteer with, and board member on, numerous community organizations representing neighborhood, education, and medical interests.
Angela Davis: Davis was the first African American to enter the Sisters of Charity. After 12 years of devoted service, she left the order and began a notable 39-year career in public education. Davis is an active community volunteer, dedicating time to tutoring area students, serving her church, and helping Rwandan refugees.
David Fowler, Jr.: Fowler Jr. is the Director of Kentucky State University’s Promising Youth Center for Excellence, an after-school development program for minority youth in Frankfort, Ky. For the last 10 years, he’s mentored disadvantaged youth at a camp devoted to helping them learn STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) skills.
David Fowler, Sr.: Fowler Sr. is a renowned musician and music educator. He has been Music Director for numerous local productions, and is Music Leader for Classical Roots Choir (featured annually with the Cincinnati Pops). He works to ensure that groups like the May Festival and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra are mindful of the need for greater inclusion.
Bryanna Hall (Youth Award Recipient): Hall is a junior at Northern Kentucky University majoring in Sports Business, Event Management and Marketing. She is actively involved in five campus organizations, and her passion for youth, sports, and leadership has earned her recognition for volunteering in the community.
Rev. Dr. Donald E. Jones, Jr.: Dr. Jones is Senior Pastor of The Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church. He is a valued member of numerous organizations, including the NAACP and the Cincinnati Community Action Agency. He also has held several influential positions within the faith community and has received several community service awards.
Michaelle Brown Jones: After 34 years at P&G, Jones retired as a Section Head in the Biostatistics Department. Since then, her service to the community has included: offering pro-bono statistical expertise to graduate students; tutoring children and adults; serving her church; supporting her sorority’s community efforts; and advocating for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Dr. Anne Delano Steinert: Dr. Steinert is an Assistant Professor of Research in the Department of History and Professor of Social Justice at the University of Cincinnati, where she also directs the Center for the City. She has curated several historical exhibitions and organized a consortium looking at urban renewal and displacement in Cincinnati’s West End.
Dr. LaVerne Summerlin: Dr. Summerlin was an English professor at the University of Cincinnati for more than 50 years, and before that, taught high school. Since her own college days, she has integrated every major institution of which she was a part. She has been a mentor to many, and has been deeply involved in community organizations.
The Keep the Dream Alive honorees embody Dr. King’s legacy by following his teachings and contributing to the betterment of the community. Since 2001, 195 community members have been honored with the Keep the Dream Alive award.
This year’s theme was inspired by the following quote by Dr. King: “Darkness cannot put out darkness; only love can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
For more information, contact the Church of the Resurrection at (513) 242-0400.
Hi 😊 if Dr Martin Luther King Jr were alive he would be very disappointed.