2020 Census, election capture attention of community organizations
The new year and new decade began with community-based organizations Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Beta Beta Lambda Chapter and The Links, Greater Miami Chapter, co-hosting the 33rd annual service commemorating the life and work of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr. King, a distinguished member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, dedicated his life to advocating for justice and equality.
On Jan. 19, the Reverend Roberta “Bobbie” Knowles welcomed guests and parishioners to the Church of the Incarnation, an Episcopal parish in the Diocese of Southeast Florida. Invited guests included members of Jack and Jill of America, Miami Chapter, and the Quettes of Retired Members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Sigma Alpha Chapter.
This annual service was initiated by one of the Reverend Knowles’ predecessors, the Reve. Canon J. Kenneth Major, also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. According to the Rev. Major his intent was to inspire youth. “It was my desire for the fraternity to host an annual community service recognizing Dr. King’s legacy.”
Major enlisted the help of parishioner Carmen Dean Jackson, also a member of The Links. Jackson assumed the task of organizing the event in 1987. Since then she has been the primary organizer and continues in this role with the assistance of another church and Links member, Agenoria Paschal Powell.
According to Dana M. Moss, the 2020 MLK Committee Chair, this year’s theme, “Where Do We Go From Here? “ is an excerpt from Dr. King’s speech at the Tenth Anniversary Convention of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Atlanta on August 16, 1967. His book, “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?”, lays out his plans and dreams for America’s future.
To answer this important question during the troubled times of today, the committee invited Dr. Everrett B. Ward, 35th general president of Alpha Phi Alpha. Ward, a former president of the historically black Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina, has served on several national, regional and statewide boards dedicated to advancing opportunities for citizens throughout the nation.
In Miami, I was one of those sitting in the nearly filled sanctuary listening to Dr. Ward’s answer. Clear and compelling, it was a call to action. He spoke about the importance of citizen participation — particularly in this year’s upcoming census and voting.
Dr. Ward passionately explained that the 2020 Census affects everyone. The information collected from the census determines how the government distributes billions of dollars to states and communities, how many representatives each state gets in Congress, where district lines are drawn and the distribution of annual federal funds that affect housing, education, transportation, employment, healthcare and public policy. He urged the audience to be informed, solicit family and friends, and respond to census information that will be distributed in the coming months.
Dr. Ward reminded the audience that every vote counts, voting is the fundamental right and responsibility of every citizen, and the system works only if everyone participates. He reminded us that some of our ancestors were beaten and some were killed so we could vote. There is no excuse for you any of us not to vote, he said. Speaking particularly to young people, he emphasized that voting is the fundamental responsibility and right of every citizen, and that the system works only if everyone participates and every vote matters.
His inspiring message concluded with anecdotes about growing up in North Carolina. He challenged the audience to continue guiding and directing youth, especially the “Knights of Gold,” the local high school boys mentored by the Beta Beta Lambda chapter of the Alphas, Jack and Jill of America and Sunday school classes.
Dr. Ward also referenced the recently released film, “Harriet,” the biography of abolitionist Harriet Tubman. Before the Civil War, Tubman, herself an escaped slave, led many other slaves to freedom while there was a bounty on her head. Citing Tubman’s determination and courage, Dr. Ward called on his listeners to act and to lead others to participating in the census and voting.
Following the service, I asked Gail Dotson, president of the Greater Miami Chapter of The Links, why her group continues to participate in this service. Her response: “We support and commemorate Dr. King’s life in [this] environment that uplifts our youth, community and Dr. King’s principles.”
MINDFUL MEDIA DAY
The Greater Miami Chapter’s National Trends and Services Committee supported Florida Memorial University’s second “Mindful Media Day” on Jan. 23. This year’s theme, “Shock The Vote,” focused on the role of the media in the 2020 election. It featured a talk by Leonard Pitts, the Miami Herald’s Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, and a panel discussion featuring JaWan Strader of NBC 6, Calvin Hughes of Channel 10. Nadege Green, a NPR/WLRN correspondent, was the moderator.
Prior to the panel, The Links hosted a student voter registration drive, and a public reception was held in the Lou Rawls Performing Arts Center on the university’s campus. The Greater Miami Chapter co-sponsored this event along with The Knight Foundation and The Miami Herald.
Michael Grubbs, president of the Beta Beta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, said “we must all be active participants.” With all of the community service groups, the message is the same: Individually and collectively, we must take responsibility and participate actively in the 2020 census and we must vote! Let this year’s Black History Month theme be a reminder throughout the year, “2020-African Americans and the Vote.”
Dorothy Jenkins Fields, Ph.D., is a historian and founder of the Black Archives, History & Research Foundation of South Florida.
This story was originally published February 13, 2020 at 4:21 PM with the headline "2020 Census, election capture attention of community organizations."
