Since the founding of America in 1776, Americans have been masters in proclaiming this nation as a beacon on the hill where everyone – even “the other” – is welcome with open arms.
However, the reality has often been just the opposite, because “the other,” which encompasses a vast list of ethnicities, religions, places of origin, sexual orientations, political affiliations and genders, is sometimes too far from the center for many to swallow.
For the most part, when we talk about diversity, we tend to focus on race, perhaps because it’s the most apparent way of distinguishing one person or group from another. But if you were among the hundreds who attended the recent prayer breakfast held at Matthews Memorial Baptist Church on Jan. 11, you were invited to witness the beauty and breadth of differences which are equal partners in a world defined by diversity.
The breakfast, held for the seventh consecutive year and part of the 2025 MLK Holiday DC events, illustrated what we can do when we put aside our differences and embrace similarities.
The morning’s keynote speaker, the Rev. Karen Curry, shared a message about how communities can fortify their commitment in the struggle for equal rights with a threefold emphasis on focus, finances and fun while amens and applause rippled throughout the room in confirmation of her words.
But what might come as a greater surprise was the diversity of the men, women and youth who eagerly embraced the speaker’s pointed conclusions.
Joyce Robinson-Paul, 76, a former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for Ward 5 and a proponent for safer playgrounds for children, let her light shine, telling her story for anyone eager and wise enough to listen.
The Rev. Nathaniel Douglas, 44, a gifted poet and street preacher, let his light shine as he delivered a spoken-word soliloquy about the continued importance of the MLK Holiday.
Former Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker let his light shine as he shared the story of his children’s grandparents who followed the path of the Great Migration to secure better opportunities for themselves and their progeny.
Ms. District of Columbia, 80-year-old Emma Ward, served as a hostess with a smile and energy that belied her eight decades of life.
It was a diverse, engaging and exciting meeting of minds with a shared mission of working to continue King’s legacy and work toward equity and peace for all.
The event planners and participants painted a new portrait of the diversity that exists within D.C.’s Black community and reminded us that, like it or not, we must both embrace and support “the other,” if we’re serious about our commitment to diversity.