His Legacy Lives On: NeighborWorks’ 9th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration

Performers at Stadium Theatre enlightened and inspired crowds as Woonsocket celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with song, dance, storytelling and spoken word on Monday.

Thanks to a generous sponsorship from Citizens Bank Foundation, , a local nonprofit community development corporation, offered the 9^th annual show free of charge. The theme for the day was: “What are you doing for others?”

“My favorite part [of today] is the food and music,” said Nicholas Ramos, a Beacon Charter High School student who has been volunteering at the event each year since he was 13 years old. Ramos helped set up the food for the Rice Around the World sampling and hopes to one day study culinary arts in college. He added that he was also “looking forward to meeting the mayor.”

U.S. Representative David Cicilline opened the event, commemorating Dr. King not only for the powerful words he has left us, but also for the courageous actions he took for the civil rights movement.

Woonsocket Mayor Leo Fontaine expressed the importance of learning about Dr. King’s legacy, especially for younger generations born long after his death. “It’s a day that people have used to bring together so many different people with a focus on service and community,” Fontaine later told Patch, in reference to the holiday.

Raffini, an artist, actress, teacher and animated storyteller, served as master of ceremonies for the duration of the event. “[Dr. King] believed in humility, but he also believed in the power of love,” said Raffini.

The first performer was solo singer Noel Pincince, who prefaced his performance by emphasizing the celebration of Dr. King’s birth, and not his death. Pincince stressed that the most important part of the dates on a gravestone is the dash between birth and death. “What matters is how we lived, and loved, and how we lived our dash,” he said.

Next was Marlon O. Carey, a member of Spittin’ Images poetry group and a beloved teacher for several after school programs in Woonsocket. Carey performed his spoken word, laying down rhythmic and alliterated lyrics like, “We are brothers, barred from Bethlehem” and “We are brilliant, blessed and beautiful.”

The auditorium filled with the upbeat and powerful voice of the next performer, Kim Trusty, a jazz singer and songwriter from Media, Pennsylvania.

“This train don’t carry no liars; this train is bound for freedom,” she sang, conjuring images of the civil rights movement while strumming her guitar.

Kalyana Champlin, known as 5^th Elament, an educator and “femcee” rooted in hip hop, actively engaged and energized the audience with empowering words and dance beats. “We need to make sure we don’t forget about community,” she said.

In an effort to physically display her point, she ran through the audience to find 10 kids to bring on stage and repeat the words: “We are…the future!”

The next two acts were geared toward a younger crowd, with a group of step performers from Youth 4 Truth Ministry and songs by local rap group and music label, 1 Lyfe.

1 Lyfe’s song is played on 94.5 and boasts Rhody pride with catchy lyrics like, “Us bein’ in the Ocean State, we gotta keep it wavy.”

Gospel Inspirations, singing quartet style from the 1940s to 60s, got through a couple of songs before member Willie Scurry suddenly fainted and fell to the floor. 911 was called and paramedics arrived on the scene. After Gospel Inspirations finished their performance, Ben Washington, another member, said that Scurry’s pulse and blood pressure tested “OK” prior to being taken to the hospital.

The remainder of the day featured solo performances by Rudy Cabrera, spoken word artist, and Armondo Silva, an experienced African drummer. Cabrera focused on the importance of knowledge and the evils of money and trying to appear “gangster.”

Three females closed the celebration. B Mor 7 delivered passionate raps about embracing difference: “We are all the same inside; you’re loss if you cannot relate.”

Michelle Cruz, recently signed with the Nevaeh Recordings Label, shared acoustic tunes and how she personally relates to the civil rights movement. “I went to Memphis and I was able to visit where [Dr. King] was assassinated. It was a life changing experience,” Cruz said.

Scholarship winner Morgan Kimble, an 8th grade student from Villa Nova Middle School, shared a flute piece.

Lastly, the community choir, led by Cindy Henderson, led a rendition of “This Little Light of Mine,” inviting the audience to join hands as a community and sing along.

Among many other families, Heather Howard of Lincoln brought her children to the celebration. “This is a nice treat…We wanted to do something educational today.” Howard, a homeschool teacher, wanted to show her children how “we’re still celebrating [Dr. King’s] life.”

Raffini’s last story about a mouse called Teeny Tiny embodied one of the major themes of the day: empowerment through knowledge.

Raffini sang, “I might be Teeny Tiny, but in my mind mighty mighty, ‘cause I read!”

Dr. King would certainly agree.