Jennifer Holliday to Perform at Annual MLK Memorial Observance

 

RoAnn Destito, Office of General Services Commissioner, today announced that the New York State celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be held on January 15, 2018 at 9:15 a.m. in the Empire State Plaza Convention Center. Lola Brabham, Acting Commissioner of the New York State Department of Civil Service, and SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson will present remarks during the program. The public is invited to attend the free program in observation of Dr. King’s birth. The Be a King Volunteer Fair will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the base of The Egg; a musical prelude will start in the Convention Center at 9:15 a.m.; and the program will begin promptly at 9:45 a.m.

“I join Governor Cuomo in inviting everyone to come to or watch the live video of this important New York State tradition at the Empire State Plaza of celebrating the life of Dr. King and Mrs. Coretta Scott King and enjoying the talented performers and inspiring speakers who come to this event to honor our nation’s most important civil rights leader,” Commissioner Destito said. “The global theme for this year’s commemoration is ‘MLK50 Forward: Together We Win With Love For Humanity,’ marking the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination and the founding of The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change. It is a perfect time to recommit ourselves to keeping Dr. King’s dream alive.”

“I am pleased to join Governor Cuomo and OGS Commissioner RoAnn Destito in inviting everyone to the Annual MLK Memorial Observance to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his unrelenting commitment to civil rights and human dignity,” said Acting Civil Service Commissioner Lola W. Brabham. “Today and every day, let us recommit ourselves to the values Dr. King championed and follow his example by making a positive difference in our own communities.”

This year’s celebration will include a special performance by Ms. Jennifer Holliday. The Grammy and Tony Award-winning Ms. Holliday has been proclaimed a Broadway legend by critics and fans alike. Her show-stopping, heart-wrenching performance of the torch ballad “And I am Telling You, I’m Not Going” in the 1981 smash hit “Dreamgirls” is considered one of the all-time best performances in a Broadway musical. The iconic role made Holliday a household name and introduced her big, soulful voice to the world.

This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Wintley Augustus Phipps. Born in Trinidad, West Indies and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Dr. Phipps is a world-renowned vocal artist, pastor, motivational speaker, and education activist. He is the founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Dream Academy, Inc., a non-profit, national after-school program that provides mentoring and tutoring around the country to children of incarcerated parents and children falling behind in school.

Click here to review the full list of scheduled events. 

Source: NYS Office of General Services