Thread: Chico honors Martin Luther King Jr. with vigil, speeches, songs

chicoer.com
By KATY SWEENY - Staff Writer
Posted: 01/16/2012 12:20:18 AM PST



CHICO — A 68-year-old Chico woman does not want Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream to die, so she held a candle alongside about a hundred others Sunday and proceeded through downtown.

Sydney Wilde was in the car on the way to church in 1968 when she heard the civil rights activist was killed.

"I was numb. We were still recovering from JFK's death. Here's this other person we were hoping would change the world," she said. "It seemed like anyone who could do anything was being killed. It was devastating."

The candlelight vigil from City Plaza and through downtown a day early of Martin Luther King Jr. Day ended at Trinity United Methodist Church. At least twice as many people were in the pews. Those who braved the cold sang hymns as they walked.

Demitra Galbert of Herlong said she comes to the vigil every year. Her nephew and his wife are ministers in town.

Now 60, she was in a Sacramento junior high school when King was killed.

"It hurt really bad," she said.

She hopes people will choose to judge a person by their character, not by the color of their skin, she said.

Baba Ross Walcott, 52, of Chico said even though he was born and raised in Jamaica, King brought change to his family and nation.

"Black and white were not supposed to be holding hands," he said. "A lot of change has come about since then."

At the church, keynote speaker Pedro Ramirez told the audience about learning he was an illegal immigrant when he started applying for colleges.

His parents brought him to the U.S. when he was 3. After he was elected student body president of Fresno State University in 2010, someone outed him as an illegal immigrant. He has fought for the DREAM Act since.

Ramirez said he thinks King would support the DREAM Act's goals of creating a path to citizenship for upstanding individuals who go to college in order to become productive members of society.

Chico State University graduate Victor Escobar also spoke about his experience as an illegal immigrant now trying to get support for the DREAM Act.

Earlier at the plaza, Lupe Arim-Law, youth director of the church, greeted the crowd.

"We're here in the name of peace, unity and love to honor Martin Luther King Jr.," Arim-Law said.

In the Occupy movement style, Arim-Law spoke out and had the crowd repeat after her.

"I refuse to believe that we are unable to influence the events which surround us," she said. "I refuse to believe that we are so bound to racism and war that peace, brotherhood and sisterhood are not possible."

Teen girls stood nearby holding a homemade banner that read, "I have decided to stick with love." The "o" in love was a peace sign.

Lara Weiss of Humboldt County brought her children to the march with her friend Steve Klein of Chico along with his young ones.

Klein has been to the vigil since his now 10-year-old son was in a stroller. He comes because he wants his children to understand and support King's message of equality, compassion, non-violence and love.

Weiss hopes her children will carry forward King's words, she said.

Her daughter, Zea Weisswynne, 7, said it was fun participating in the vigil.

"Holding a candle and walking is different than learning about it in school," Weiss said. "It's powerful."

Wilde said she hopes the children who marched Sunday know what King stood for and why people honor him.

"It's hopeful that there are kids here," she said.

Connect with Katy Sweeny on Twitter @KatySweeny or contact her at ksweeny@chicoer.com.

Chico honors Martin Luther King Jr. with vigil, speeches, songs - Chico Enterprise Record

Illegal Immigration is not a Civil Right.

The nerve of these people to highjack MLK's Dream.

Originally Posted by Ratbstard

Illegal Immigration is not a Civil Right.

The nerve of these people to highjack MLK's Dream.

They want to highjack MLK's Dream - He fought for Civil Rights, not for illegal immigration
They have highjacked Cesar Chavez's Dream - He fought for the rights of migrant farm workers, but was against illegal immigration
They want to highjack even Mitt Romney as being Mexican. Facts prove this is false.