Marlene Jennings honoured in Martin Luther King Day Celebration

"This is a wonderful honour to receive and I am humbled by it," said Ms. Jennings to the assembled crowd of 150 people. "When I see the bright and energetic faces of the young black people in this room, I can’t help but feel very positive about the future”, she said.

Event coordinator Daniel Stringer of the MLK Coalition said Marlene Jennings deserved the award “for her commitment, through her life’s work, to fighting for equality and social justice.”

Ms. Jennings recounted the story of Ruby Bridges, the young black girl who in 1960, at the age of 6, broke the colour barrier by attending class at a public school in New Orleans, despite threats made to her safety by local segregationists. “Whatever success I have had, I owe it to those who came before me; those like young Ruby, who demonstrated incredible courage in the face of institutionalized racism, and Martin Luther King, whose lessons will never be forgotten”.

Ms. Jennings also thanked her family for the support they have shown her throughout her life. “I am very fortunate to have such a solid foundation of support from my loved ones, who lift me up when I’m feeling low, and keep me grounded when I get too high”, she said.

The event was particularly poignant given that it was held in the lead-up to the inauguration of American President-Elect Barack Obama. Nary did a speaker go by who did not reference the importance of the election of the first African-American to the highest office in the USA.

Rev. Darryl Gray, the event’s MC, stressed that Canada would be enriched by greater black representation in its public offices, remarking that Ms. Jennings is presently the only black MP of the 308 in the House of Commons. He also acknowledged the contribution of former MP Dr. Howard McCurdy who was also in attendance.

"Canada has its own Obamas. But we need more. We need more Marlene Jennings’, more Howard McCurdys, and more black elected officials in general”, Gray emphatically stated.

This is the fourth time the Dreamkeepers Award has been handed out. Rev. Dr. Anthony Bailey also received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication.