MLK Dream Big Banquet honors community servants

MLK Dream Big Banquet kicked the City of St. Petersburg’s three-day weekend of celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy on Friday, Jan. 12 at the St. Petersburg Country Club.

BY RAVEN JOY SHONEL | Staff Writer

ST. PETERSBURG — The MLK Dream Big Banquet got underway Friday, Jan. 12, at the St. Petersburg Country Club. Sponsored by Advantage Village Academy (AVA), this year’s mistress of ceremony was the incomparable Dr. LaDonna Butler.

“Tonight, we celebrate Dr. King’s legacy. We think about not only his dream but the things that caused his life to end early. And we push forward, honoring every sacrifice that he’s given and walking this path of our dream,” said Butler.

Left, Rev. Ken Irby, Pinellas County Urban League President & CEO Nikki Gaskin-Capehart, Woodson Museum Executive Director Terri Lipsey-Scott and U. S. Representative Kathy Castor

Since 2008, AVA has educated, empowered and enhanced the quality of life for individuals that will promote self-sufficiency, financial stability and economic development. It also provides supervision and guidance to many disadvantaged and deprived youth within south St. Pete.

Introduced by AVA youth McCoy Washington, Mayor Ken Welch said his administration is moving forward with an agenda of opportunity, inclusion, and equity.

“You know, 61 years ago, Dr. King delivered his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, and now, right here in St. Pete 61 years later, we have the opportunity to make those dreams come true.”

Welch said when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was gunned down, he was on a mission of civil rights, focusing on economic opportunity. The mayor then spoke of the opportunities right here in south St. Pete:

$500 million in resources has been allocated in the historic Gas Plant Proposal for minority businesses
Thirty-seven thousand jobs are coming to construct 60 acres of construction and another 20 for the stadium
A brand-new Minority, Women, and Business Enterprise Program up and running
An equity office and a chief equity officer

“It’s time to move past who you like and who you don’t like,” said the mayor. “It’s time to move past who you supported in the last election, or three elections ago, or Morris Milton versus Doug Jamerson — folks are still in their feelings about that. We’ve got an opportunity to move our community forward, and my administration is willing to work with anyone who has those same goals.”

Nikki Gaskin-Capehart

Congresswoman Kathy Castor recognized Advantage Village Academy’s CEO Toriano Parker and President Dr. Kevin Parrott as outstanding public servants and turned up the love dial for Mayor Welch.

“I love Mayor Ken Welch; I love him. He is the right person at the right time for this community to talk about economic opportunity for everyone.”

Castor called the honorees public servants with a “servant’s heart.” She was excited to announce Pinellas County Urban League President and CEO Nikki Gaskin-Capehart as one of this year’s Legacy Award recipients.

“When I was just elected to congress, it was Nikki who advised me and educated me in the early days of representing south St. Pete,” said Castor. “And Nikki, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart; you made me a better public servant.”

Danielle, James and Peyton Flynn

Gaskin-Capehart has been the president and CEO of PCUL for about four months, but the restructuring has begun to “defend democracy, demand diversity and defeat poverty,” a charge given to her by the National Urban League.

AVA board volunteer Jeffery Copeland presented attorney James Flynn, Jr. with the Legacy Award, calling him “a very community-oriented person” and “a selfless giver.”

Flynn said St. Pete has a long road ahead, but Mayor Welch is the right person to see it through. “And not because he’s Black; that’s just a bonus.”

Growing up in Savannah, Ga., he was raised surrounded by Black mayors because Savannah State anchors the city. He is the product of three generations attending an HBCU.

“Now what that did to our community was create a strong black middle class,” Flynn asserted. “So, I knew nothing but economic empowerment, freedom, independence, capitalism, perseverance, the ability to work together, provide a good product to your community, understanding that your community will support you right back. And that’s what I brought here.”

Parrott, who worked alongside Rev. Louis Murphy Sr., senior pastor of Mt. Zion Progressive Missionary Baptist Church, for 15 years, said the spiritual leader has a “heart of gold for children.”

Pastor Louis Murphy Sr.

Terrell Dukes Sr.

Murphy said he was sitting in his fourth-grade classroom when Dr. King was assassinated. He was also in class during the funeral. He remembers his teaching rolling in a television for them to watch the procession.

“But as we watched that horse-drawn carriage, and for whatever reason, I just said, ‘I’ll pick up the baton; I’ll run with it.’ I had no idea what I was saying, but that was in my spirit.”

Terrell Dukes Sr. was on hand to accept his award for his philanthropic efforts with AVA for the last 10 years. Working at one of the world’s top 50 companies, he can use his platform at PepsiCo to help fill in any gaps.

Carl Lavender, Jr., the chief equity officer for the City of St. Pete, graciously accepted his award. For years, he has worked in partnership with equity-focused community innovations and served with many civic and community initiatives. He’s a huge supporter of AVA, never failing to answer the call.

Native son Pastor Le’Zaire D. Reese from New Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta served as the keynote speaker for the evening. He gave words of inspiration and impartation on what it means to dream big. He paralleled Dr. King’s dream with Joseph’s, the son of Jacob, in Genesis chapter 37.