The Opening Day Lineup
Earl Ofari Hutchinson, president of the Urban Policy Institute and nationally syndicated columnist, will open Sunday’s celebration with a major speech. He will set the tone for the panel discussion that will follow, with Bilson Davis serving as the master of ceremonies. New state Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas is one of the seven panel members. The others are:
Shakeel Syed, Executive Director of the Shura Council of Southern California,
Rick Tuttle, former Controller for the city of Los Angeles and former civil rights volunteer,
Jose Ramon Montero, educator, Culver City High School,
Amir Malik, Culver High student,
Menelik Tafari, Culver High student.
The panel will speak about Dr. King and the concept of social justice from their separate perspectives. Members of the audience will have an opportunity to ask questions, and resource persons will respond with specialized information. Mayor Gary Silbiger, City Councilman Scott Malsin and other dignitaries will participate. Mr. Silbiger is a member of the committee planning the celebration. Chaired by Mary Ann Greene, the committee has been meeting weekly for the past four months. “Culver City, a great place of diversity, has discovered that people of all backgrounds have much in common,” Mr. Silbiger said. “By working together on important programs, we build the trust and commitment that make our city that much more special. This weekend, we will demonstrate our commitment for justice, freedom, equality and peace.”
Later Attractions
A choir, dancers, and the winners of the Culver City Speech Contest will be interspersed. Among these will be The Jubilant Dancers, the Debbie Allen Dancers, and the top three winners from the student speech contest. Later on Sunday, the movie, “An Amazing Grace,” will be screened. This film details the life and the vision of Dr. King. Avery Clayton, founder of the Mayme A. Clayton Library and Cultural Center of Culver City, will introduce “An Amazing Grace.”
The Mosque Program
On Monday afternoon at 1:30, Usman Madha, Executive Director of the King Fahad Mosque, will greet the public for a tour of the mosque and an explanation of the treasures inside. He will discuss the relationship between the mosque and Dr. King, and also relations between the mosque and its Culver City neighbors. Importantly, visitors to the mosque are asked to dress modestly — long sleeves, long pants or skirts. Refreshments will be served.
A History Lesson
For several years, the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Dept. has held Martin Luther King Day celebrations at the parks or at the Teen Center. For three years, community members have held successful informal celebrations of Dr. King’s birthday at a city park. Mr. Silbiger, said a stronger tribute was needed. “As a Council member, I felt that the city needed to take a more formal and committed stand, honoring everything that Dr. King stands for — peace, harmony, justice and service to the community. Based on that need, the City Council approved my motion for there to be an official city celebration of Dr. King’s birthday last January. A volunteer committee was formed to plan and coordinate the King Day activities. They received a great deal of assistance from Culver City staff members and a two-person committee from the City Council.”
Culver City by the Numbers
As of the 2000 census, Culver City had 39,000 residents.
Latino/Hispanic — 23.7 percent, with some respondents saying they were of “various races,”
African American — 12 percent,
Asian — 12 percent,
Native American — 0.71 percent,
Pacific Islander — 0.21 percent,
Other — 10.16 percent,
Two or more races — 5.2 percent.
The city is diverse religiously, with numerous Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, various denominations of Christians and others.
This weekend’s King Days are sponsored by the city of Culver City in association with the Parks and Recreation Dept. Details may be accessed at the cty’s website, www.culvercity.org or by telephoning 310.253.6630.
