From his grandfather’s enslavement to his father’s church leadership, the 32nd annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Breakfast will explore Dr. King’s life and experiences through the concept of “memory as a map.”
“I was reminded just last week that it is truly the only event in town that involves Belmont Against Racism, as well as Belmont Human Rights Commission, that is truly an event that everyone — all segments of our population — attends,” said Belmont Against Racism President Didier Moise. “We have multiple events during the year, but this is truly the one that brings the entire community together.”
Last year was the group’s first community breakfast after the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also the first time the event was held in the new high school.
The event, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Jan. 19, will include musical performances, an update to the community on the METCO (Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity) program, and words from keynote speaker Dr. Sophia Boyer. Moise described her as a lifelong educator whose speech will focus on the idea of memory as a map exploring the events and ideas, and life experiences that brought Martin Luther King Jr. to where he was during the Civil Rights Movement.
“One of the things that was very important for Dr. King was civil rights from the lens of empathy,” Moise said. “Even if you don’t think it’s affecting you directly … It is really incumbent upon you to rise up to the occasion and create a sense of community for the fight for civil rights and equality.”
Boyer is an academic with a background in sociology, history, human development, and education. She serves on multiple boards, including Paige Academy (an elementary school in Boston), RootsUprising, and Olo Africa.
“Apart from seeing all the faces and meeting all the people in person…one of my favorite parts of the breakfast has always been the keynote speaker’s presentation,” Moise said. “It can sometimes be overlooked…but I really love to hear what people have to say about these things.”
Although the breakfast is free, guests are encouraged to donate to the cost of the breakfast or to the METCO program.
“The kids and the parents and families who are actually taking part in the program, they have needs, and a lot of those needs are not being met or cannot be met by school funding, or METCO funding,” he explained.
Transportation is a big one, according to Moise. METCO students who wish to participate in after-school programs don’t have the transportation to get themselves home. The same challenge applies to school trips.
“They are incredibly expensive,” he said. “I remember how much we had to pay for my own daughter to go on a trip to Europe. If you’re a family that’s struggling, there’s no way you can afford that.”
Continuing the legacy of King is a shared responsibility, Moise said.
“Sometimes we can become numb as a society … If you don’t show up, you’re leaving a lot of void in that space” he said. “Part of community is not simply to just do the reading, do the educating, do the programs. Once, every so often, we have to come physically together and relate to each other… and talk with each other.”
Moise said the people of Belmont do not lack goodwill, but still, it’s important to show up.
“If we’ve learned anything about any movement that has lasting impact, the connections created within the communities— they are the root causes of their success,” Moise said. “This is the foundation on which they build their successes.”