WCC will hold its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration this coming Thursday.
Dr. Omotolokun Omokunde, pastor of Timothy Darling Presbyterian Church in Oxford, will speak on “From ‘The Dream’ to Me.”
Rev. Omokunde will share his memories of meeting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and hearing the first version of the “I Have a Dream” speech when King spoke at his high school in Rocky Mount in 1962. He will talk about how that and other encounters with Dr. King influenced his life and how the audience can continue the work of fulfilling “The Dream.”
“He gave me the courage to continue to struggle,” said Omokunde in a 2002 speech at Carroll College in Wisconsin. “He gave me the guts to stand up to folks.”
In addition to his church, Omokunde’s ministry includes serving as a chaplain for several law enforcement and first responder agencies in Granville County. He is also a Critical Incident Stress Management instructor and facilitator.
He is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, a Prince Hall Shriner, a member of the board of directors of Operation Spring Plant (a nonprofit that assists small farmers), chair of the Granville County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, and former coordinator of the minority male mentoring program at Vance-Granville Community College.
Omokunde’s education includes a bachelor’s degree in religion and philosophy from Johnson C. Smith University, a master’s degree in divinity/social welfare ministry from the Interdenominational Theological Center, a master’s degree in divinity from Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary, and a master’s degree in ministry in cultural context and doctorate in ministry from the Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University.
The event, which is open to the public, is set for 1 p.m. on Jan. 12.
It will be held in Moffatt Auditorium in the Wayne Learning Center (building with flags in front) on the main campus at 3000 Wayne Memorial Drive. It will also be streamed live via the college’s Facebook page.
The celebration is provided by the WCC Cultural Diversity/Global Education Task Force and the Foundation of Wayne Community College. It is free and open to all.
Contact Tara Humphries at 919-739-7002 with any questions about this event.
Wayne Community College encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. Anyone who anticipates needing accommodation or has questions about access can contact the college’s accessibility counselor at 919-739-6729.
