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Church and state came together Sunday during the annual reflection and celebration of the life of Rev Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, held at St Stephens AME Zion Church on Springwood Avenue.

Held for over 15 years, the event recognizes city residents and leaders who contribute significantly to civil rights, education, social justice, peace and public health in the 1.4 square mile community, event committee member and organizer Alice Johnson.

Honored were the Expungement team of volunteers who work to help those with a criminal past clear their records. The team include Dr. Christie Howard [Asbury Park School District’s Director of Student Services], Councilwoman Yvonne Clayton, George Corbin, Rev Derinzer Johnson, Patricia Mitchell and Calvin Gardner.

Also honored were Rev. Gil Caldwell, a civil rights activist and community leader, BOE president Angela Ahbez-Anderson, restaurateur Marilyn Schlossbach, and community native and activist Rev Nicolle Harris.  

And while the congregation’s youngest members gave the more moving presentations of the day, be it the rap duo by DeShaye Rolfe and Morontae Harris; the spoken word tribute by Mekhi Davis, or the powerful rendition of King’s favorite song – Precious Lord by Mikayla Serrano; national news and comments by President Donald Trump weighed heavily on the event.

Congressman Frank Pallone Jr [D-6] said while our nation has a history of racism and inequality it can change by continuing to honor Dr King’s legacy.

“We know that this country has always had racists; those who don’t want to see people equally or believe in equality,” he said. “It is always a struggle. It is only through the struggle of people taking action and getting involved, whether it’s with the community as these honorees are doing on an individual basis, or you are helping in a larger sense by taking action politically, that is what this Martin Luther King weekend and day is all about.”

In speaking to how the President’s racially construed comments directly affect the community, the nation and the world, Rev. Derinzer Johnson asked, ‘What Now?’ He spoke of the timing of the head of state’s comment, days prior to the national recognition of King’s legacy and the Fifth anniversary of an earthquake that devastated the Caribbean nation.

“This is not an Afro-American sermon; this is not a white sermon; this is a human race sermon,” Johnson said. “Who would have thought that right in the White House in these United States of America in the year of 2018 we would have such racist comments coming from the oval office that are all too foul to repeat from this pulpit. I never thought in my lifetime that I would witness what I am having to witness today.”

Johnson, who questioned why ‘the voices of the Republic’ did not denounce the racially divisive comments, said there is work to be done.

“How do we get from here to there,” he questioned. “What will it take.”

His answer to those in attendance was to live by Dr. King’s edict of non violence and love.

“We love now,” he said. “We must love people in spite of themselves.”

Dr. King’s legacy continues locally through the daily action of the honorees, Mayor John Moor said. He credits the work of the Asbury Park Community Action Network, which launched the Expungement program, for helping to reduce the high violent crime rate that plagued the community for years.  

“It was the answer to a problem,” Moor said. “We haven’t solved it 100 percent but through their efforts and through their actions we have come a long way. That can never be thanked enough or appreciated enough.”

Assistant School Superintendent Sancha Gray, in defining the district’s motto of building a brighter future as hope and opportunity, said each of the honorees made a profound impact not only in the school district but throughout a the larger community.

“In such a short period of time, all of you have had such a wonderful impact with the work that you are doing and continue to do,” she said.

Each of the honorees spoke of the importance of the community working together.

Dr. Howard, who is also a lawyer, said she was propelled to work with the Expungement volunteers because she sees first hand how a family’s instability can affect a child’s ability to learn.  

Councilwoman Clayton said she was disheartened to learn recently that a woman, who worked at company for 20 years, was denied a well-deserved promotion due to a criminal action from her youth.

Corbin, who served 25 years with the Asbury Park Police force said he has dedicated the second part of his life to helping those he may have arrested clear their records in order to move on with their lives.

Caldwell, who worked side by side with King and was arrested four times for civil disobedience said, ‘What Asbury Park needs, you have got it.”

Schlossbach said, “Personal freedom can only come from gratitude, forgiveness and patience. I think our community has so many people that aspire to these qualities and for that we will always be lifted up.”

Harris, a city native and recently ordained minister who last year called on the over 6,000 who attended the Women’s March in Asbury Park to ‘love the hell out of somebody,’ said in her youth she did know that Asbury Park was the vanguard that God wanted her to work in.

And Ahbez-Anderson, who serves as the Board of Education president, said her mentoring programs is aimed at ensuring the community’s youngest citizens build self awareness and confidence in order to know what they can do.

In the end, in quoting Dr. King, Johnson said, “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”

Double click twice on images in gallery below to learn more about the honorees:

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