MLK Walk and Rally Calls for Community Change

Hundreds of people braved the cold Monday to march in honor and memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The rally and march recalled days past of the country's civil rights movement.

As Mayor Michael Pavia noted, “Forty years ago, police blocked the march. Today, they led it. Martin Luther King would be proud of Stamford.”

The crowd cheered in agreement.

Speaking with individuals and leaders in the churches and community showed another picture though.

Rev. Dawn Snell of the Faith Tabernacle Church called for everyone to work harder to protect and guide our children to a better future. Snell said, “There is too much violence and our children need us to watch out for them. Not just your children, but all of them, and we need to see them all as our children!”

Cynthia Lewis, a member of the committee that organized the program,  said that the entire city of Stamford, from its churches and organizations to individuals, needs to put more emphasis on how to provide enough activities for children to give them better options than getting into trouble.

Snell asked us all to note that King's message did not just call for equality. “Remember, the basis of his message was love,” he said.

Events at the Yerwood Center on Fairfield Avenue included an inspirational reenactment of King's I Have A Dream speech, and dance troupes who brought the crowd to its feet.

Many of the walkers shared their thoughts about what King meant to the country and to each of us personally.

To read their comments and see more highlights of the day's events, visit this story's photo gallery.

If you want a file of a photo e-mailed to you, contact the photographer at RosepetL5@aol.com.