In Nyack, African-American Heritage Celebrated Through Music, Words

It is fitting that on a night when African-American history was commemorated, the life of arguably the greatest civil rights leader of all time was the centerpiece.

The Nyack Center hosted its twelfth-annual Black History Month event Saturday night. The evening paid tribute to African-American leaders from present and past, recognized three Rocklanders who have bettered the community and featured a Martin Luther King, Jr. oratory contest.

Nyack Center Executive Director Kim Cross took charge of the honors, distinguishing the Reverend Eugene Jones, senior Pastor at the Hollingsworth Memorial Family Worship Center in Nyack, Ouida Foster Toutebon, executive director for Head Start Nyack and Renold Julien, executive director of Konbit Neg Lakay in Spring Valley.

Cross noted each honoree has built important bridges that bring community members together and are deserving of the recognition received.

In addition to plaudits for the honorees, the celebration included Gospel music selections from the United Sounds of Praise Gospel Choir, spoken word poems by Cathleen St. Victor and a musical performance by Nyack's Sam Waymon. But the main event at Saturday's gathering featured five area youths competing in a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Oratory Contest.

Local teens Ucalene Harris, Dominiq Telfort, Maxim Ngolla, Devonte Gilchrist and August St. Louis each read passages from MLK's speeches. The contestants graced the Nyack Center stage and—before an audience of more than 100—presented eloquent and, at times, emotional interpretations of King's orations, which carried a message of peace, love and achieving equality through non-violent means. Every contestant earned loud cheers from the inspired crowd.

The judging was led by Earl Miller, Board member at the Nyack Center and executive director of community relations for Nyack College, who co-sponsored the contest with Orange and Rockland Utilities. Fellow judges included Nyack Mayor Richard Kavesh and representatives from area colleges.

The third place winner was St. Louis, a student a Felix Festa Middle School, who read segments of King's famed "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech. Second prize was awarded to Ngolla of Nyack High School, who recited excerpts from King's Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. Top honors were handed down to Gilchrist, a student at Ramapo High School, who also chose to orate passages of King's Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech.

"All of these young people deserve your applause," Miller said. "They are the leaders of tomorrow."