Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration Jan. 20 at Laconia Congregational Church

LACONIA — The Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Day Celebration will be held Jan. 20, from 3-5 p.m. at the Laconia Congregational Church. This annual celebration has been sponsored since 2007 by the Laconia Human Relations Committee, a committee of the Mayor of Laconia. All are welcome to attend.

Dr. Dottie Morris, associate vice president for diversity and inclusion at Keene State College and Seifu Ragassa, chief probation and parole officer in Carroll County, will be the speakers. They will address the relevance of Dr. King’s life and work in our current environment. They will also share what it is like to live and work within their cultural heritage in New Hampshire.

Dr. Morris brings the perspective of an educator, concerning teaching and living the values of supporting diversity and inclusion in the educational system for children and youth through high school and college. Ragassa brings his life experience. After fleeing his country of birth and now a U.S. citizen, he holds closely the values of democracy and the importance of living and acting inclusively each day.

Mayor Ed Engler will introduce the celebration. A brief section of Dr. King's ‘Dream’ speech will be shown. Dan Carter will present a musical selection, based on a dream. Carol Pierce will introduce the speakers.

This celebration coincides with the celebration of the New Hampshire Humanities Council, remembering the words of Dr. King, “we are all one humanity.”