Human Relations Committee

Martin Luther King, Jr Planning Committee - April 12, 2024 Present: Matt Soza, Janet Simmon, Trish Weatherbee, Richard Littlefield, Rev. Judith Wright Unable to be present : Jasmine Delgado Discussion : Continued planning for the celebration on January 19, 2025. Here is most of what was generated in this session: 1. Not have the program be as long as last year’s program/ 2. Agreement not to have an intermission. 3. Agreement to have a solidarity march following the program, with sand put on the route of the marchers. We may approach Restorative Justice and ask if they have volunteers who would put sand on the route. Also discussed the possibility of a warm weather Solidarity March in mid -summer, as a MLK remembrance event. 4. Agreement to have the program at the Colonial Theater again. Asked Trish to request that date from the Colonial Theater. 5. Issue of a projector. Agreement to order a projector for $ 1,000 rental fee. 6. All liked the idea of a panel of 4-6 people, who would answer questions from the audience. The audience would have written their questions ahead of time on index cards. The idea is to have the panel represent a wide range of ages and diversity within the Laconia area of folks interested in sharing how Martin Luther King, Jr’s legacy has impacted their lives. Each panelist would have a vested interest in the life and legacy of Dr. King. 7. Each member of this subcommittee will think, over the next month, about how the legacy of Dr. King has impacted his/her/their lives. How Dr. King has influenced us, and how his values and ideals and actions are living legacies within our lives today. What are the themes from Dr. King’s life that resonant with our lives today? 8. Ask Belnap Mill Quilters to make a quilt in honor of Dr. King and have children participate in the making of the quilt. 1 9. End of the event – speaker to close the event. Have on stage a collage of pictures of diversity within the Lakes Region and have people on stage at the end of the program also representing this diversity. Henry will help with the collage. Or another possibility is to have each member of the LHRC invite 5 people for a photo shoot – with the focus on inviting a diverse group of folks, and have this picture shown at the end of the program, as a speaker announces the close of the program and the beginning of the march for those who wish to participate. 10. Have a children’s art project available during the program. Invite Larry Frates to interact with the children. 11. Asking for another essay contest of children and having one or more of the winners be on the panel. 12. Financially we are requesting $2,000 from the LHRC budget for this celebration. $ 1,000 will go for the projector. Next meeting : May 17th at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Laconia at 10 am. 2