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4BODYOFCHRISTNEWSFEBRUARY2014AsaPreacherInstructorMotivatorandActivistDr.DerekKingSr.picturedaboveiscommittedtomakingadiffer-enceintheBlackCommunityandbeyond.Hehasacon-tinualcommitmenttoeliminatediscriminationoppressionandviolence.Hebelievesthatmanyofushaveasocialresponsi-bilitythatwemuststaycom-mittedtoandnotgrowtiredindoingso.Dr.Kingispas-sionateaboutmakingachangeinBlackAmericahegetshispassionhonestlyhisuncleisthelateandgreatDr.MartinLutherKingJr.Dr.DerekKingsfatherReverendAlfredKingSr.istheonlybrotherofDr.MartinLutherKing.Dr.DerekKingwearsmanyhatsonaregularbasisheispresent-lytheassistanttothePastoratEbenezerMissionaryBaptistChurchinIndianapolisIndiana.HeisalsoaninstructorofreligiousstudiesatMartinUniversityinIndianapolisIndiana.Dr.Kingisalsoacertifiedconflictreconciliationtrainerandofcourseanactivist.WhilewearingandoperatinginalloftheseofficesDr.KingbelievesthatGodhascreatedadivinepathforusasapeopletomakeadifference.Hesaysthatoneofthebestthingsthatwecandoiskeeppovertyatamanageablelevel.Hesaysthatmanypeoplearelivinginpovertybutoneofthegreatadvantagesthatwehaveisthatmanyresourcesaremadeavailabletous.Dr.DerekKingsaysthatmanystat-icsarestackedagainstusbutwhatarewewillingtocommitourselvestodoOneofthethingsthatDr.KingsaysthatweneedtounderstandisNationalism.Hebelievesthatunder-standingNationalismistohaveanideaofwherewehavecomefromandthestruggleswehavefacedbutovercame.Hebelievesthatwemustaffirmwhowearewhereweregoingandhowtobecomecohesiveinouractions.Wemustworktogetherandstopturningagainsteachotherbutturntoeachother.WemustgetbacktoourfirstlovewhichisGodandfol-lowHiscommandmentsandspeaklifeinoursituations.Dr.Kingisabelieverofavillageraisingachildbecausewithmorehandsandheartsmorecanbeaccom-plishedforthenextgeneration.Wemustnotabandoneachotherduringcrisisbutwemustbethestrengthforeachother.Dr.Kingsaysthatwemustgetbacktothebiblicalmandateofnotsparingtherodbecausetherodisaninstrumentofcorrectionusedfordirection.Hesaysthatthesedaysthevillageisbrokenbecausebabiesareraisingbabies.ThevillageisalsobrokenbecausemanyofushaveleftGodswordobediencesanctificationandholi-ness.Manypeopleincludingtheblackchurchlivebeyondtheirmeanswhichcausespeopletocompromisetheirintegrity.Manypeopleinthechurchhaveapredatoryspiritalwayslook-ingforwhatGodcandoforthemandnotaskingwhattheycandoforGod.Wemustgetbacktowhatreallymat-tersandpushbeyondthestrugglebygettingasinceofnationalismunityasavillageandallowingGodtobefirstinallthatwedo.PushingBeyondTheStruggleBySparkleRobinsonBLACKHISTORYThevillageisalsobrokenbecausemanyofushaveleftGodswordobediencesanctificationandholiness.photoVernL.HowardAs2013cametoaclosetwoofColoradosmostfabledNAACPandcivilrightsiconspassedawayremind-ingusoftheobligationsofcommu-nityserviceandcourageousleader-ship.OnDecember132013SuzanneThomasRodgers--acontemporaryofDr.MartinLutherKingandthefirstwomantoeverserveasPresidentoftheNAACPColoradoSpringsBranchmadehertransition.Shewas85.LessthantwoweekslaterSamuelC.HunterJr.anotherPastPresidentoftheNAACPColoradoSpringsBranchmostnotedforhismilitaryserviceasamemberofthefamedTuskegeeAirmenpassed.Hewas94.Mrs.RodgerswasborninHarrisburgPa.Sheleftalegacyoffightingforeconomicjusticeandpovertyreduc-tionthroughtheNAACPtheUrbanLeagueHeadStartandtheColoradoCivilRightsCommission.TheSuzanneRodgersDiamondAwardwasestab-lishedtohonorandcontinueherwork.MrsRodgersissurvivedbyherhus-bandalsoaTuskegeeAirmanLTCUSAFRet.MarionRodgRodgersCapt.USAFRet.SamuelC.HunterJr.wasborninCrockettTX.HegraduatedfromColoradoSpringsHighSchoolin1936andreceivedaBSDegreein1940fromWestVirginiaStateCollege.HealsoreceivedadegreefromWorshamCollegeofMortuaryScienceinChicago.HerwasaDocumentedOriginalTuskegeeAirmanandarecipi-entoftheCongressionalGoldMedal.WithhisfatherheoperatedHunterMortuaryinColoradoSpringsandwasthefirstBlackrealestatebrokerinthecity.HewasknownforhishousingandbusinessdevelopmentadvocacyduringhistenurewiththeNAACPandisarecipientoftheBranchLivingLegendsAwardforCivilRightsActivism.HeissurvivedbyhiswifeMinnyRayandotherfamilymembers.Theexamplethesestrongfreedomfightersleftforusshouldneverbefor-gottensaidRosemaryLytlePresidentoftheNAACPStateConferenceandImmediatePastPresidentoftheNAACPColoradoSpringsBranch.Atatimewheninjusticewasitsmostobvioustheyfaceditheadonandcreatedchange.Certainlyintheirhonorweshoulddonolesstoday.OBITUARIESColoradoCivilRightsIconsSuzanneT.RodgersandSamuelC.HunterJr.RodgersHunter