b'COMUNITYMLK Commemoration,Celebration, and Award CeremonyJr.EarlyCollegeinGreenValleyRanchreceived theprize.JohnBailey,FirstBankMutualculture Banking, Samuel Engineering, and our 16th annual Trailblazer honorees, Mr. Dennis Gallagher. History inthemaking,thefirstbeingthatheisthefirst Caucasian male to receive the award. Mr. Gallagher walkedhousebill1201afteritpassedthehouse over to the Senate chamber to be voted on. This vote made the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday a real-ity in Colorado.Staying true toRev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.\'s legacy. For37thyears,wehavehadaninterfaithser-viceheadedbytheGreaterMetropolitanDenver MinisterialAlliancewiththenewpresidentRev. Dr. Thomas Mayes. The service was virtual. As the bread bearer, Bishop Andy C. Lewter Jr., Pastor of HollywoodFullGospelBaptistBaptistCathedral Amityville,NewYork.Theretoo,severalawards "Remember Celebrate Act!"; "A Day On Not A Dayawardshaveabrand-newname.Theyaretheweregrantedtothefollowingrecipients.Attorney Off!"; "Life\'s most pressing question is What are youDr.MartinLutherKingJr.Dr.JamesD.PetersFranklin D. Azar, Dr. Sharon Bailey (posthumous), doing for others?" Humanitarian awards. Dr. Peters pastor emeritus ofCandace Bailey, and Pastor Dr. Felix Gilbert (post- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. the New Hope Baptist Church in Denver, Colorado.humous).HewasoneofReverendDr.King\'smosttrustedOnMondaythe17th,the37thannualMarade. friends,allies,andlieutenants.HedeliveredtheMarch/ParadewithsuchspeakersasPaulLopez, By Vern L. Howard eulogy at Dr. King\'s memorial the evening before histheclerk,andrecorderforthecityandcountyof actual funeral, chosen by his peers and other pas- Denver. He spoke about for the first time in history, tors to do so. Chartashia A. Miller, Janet R. Damon, he had polling places at the county and Denver jails T hesearethethemesoftheDr.MartinLutherDr. Renee Cousins-King, First Bank Multi-Culturalwhere inmates were able to cast their votes. Senators KingJr.ColoradoHolidayCommission\'s37thBankingCenter,andAttorneyClaudiaAbernathy- John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennett spoke about commemoration of the Reverend Dr. Martin LutherFeliciana(posthumous)wereHonoredwiththisthe importance of the voting rights bill. The Colorado King Jr. events in Colorado. The security of justiceaward.black legislators led by Leslie Herod, the President of is our local theme words that Dr. King spoke as heTheDr.JoyceMarieDavisoutstandingyouththe Black Caucus, talked about not only the Voting delivered the "I Have a Dream" speech on the 28thhonor was awarded to Taylianna Chambers Lopez.Rights Act. day of August 1963. AmemberofTopTeamsofAmerica(TTA),aTop Aswevisitthe37thcommemorationoftheDr.Ladies of Distinction Mountain West Chapter (TLOD)She expanded on the new education initiative that king events in Colorado. We start with the Auroradivision.EachoneofthesehonoreesexemplifiestheDr.MartinLutherKing,Jr.ColoradoHoliday events that began on the 9th day of January. AurorawhatittakestobeaDr.MartinLutherKingJr.Commissionhaschampioned.WillteachRev.Dr. wasthefirstcityinColoradotohostweeklongHumanitarian serving their communities and peopleMartinLutherKingJr.\'snonviolentsocialjustice events; now, we have weeklong events even in Grandin their communities unselfishly. movements in middle and high school in public and JunctionCo.Wehostedover170occurrencesinprivate institutions. And Sean Ryan, the president of January with the commemoration of the legacy of theWith many events, it\'s challenging to try to nameeducation for McGraw Hill, introduced for the next Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. them all. Therefore, I will only highlight six years. They will be sponsoring a scholarship in ThestapleeventsoftheCommission.Friday,the name of Ambassador Andrew Young to an HBCU. Tuesday,the11thdayofJanuary,wehost- the14thdayofJanuary,wehadtheDr.MartinBrotherAugustAlexanderofBLAQWALLCapitol edthe31stAnnualDr.MartinLutherKingJr.Luther King Jr. Business Awards. Titled "Content oftalked about "Why we Walk" and the importance of Humanitarian awards and concerted a partnershipCharacter," this is the 30th year that award-winningeconomics and true justice through economics. Mr. with Colorado Symphony Orchestra. journalist Tamera Banks has served as the mistressAlexander and Dr. Vern L. Howard, the Chairman Honoredwiththe"MenolaUpshawLifetimeof ceremonies. We honored Tamara for her 30-yearof the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Colorado Holiday Achievement Award." Were service. Furthermore, we made history for the firstCommissionandtheownerofA\'Star\'sMedia timeyouthwerehonored."KnowJusticeKnowSolutions. Will be producing a documentary Titled ClementineWashing-Pigford(posthumous)andPeace podcast The Take from Dr. Martin Luther King"WhyWeWalk"featuringThePioneersoftheDr. Dr. Marilyn Chipman. This year the HumanitarianMartin Luther King Jr. holiday in Colorado.2 FEBRUARY 2022 BOCNEWS.com'