The Life and Legacy of MLK
Thousands of people took to the streets in downtown D.C. to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the site of his famous “I Have a Dream” address. The rally, hosted by Reverend Al Sharpton, began at 10 AM, and followed a route from McPherson Square to Metropolitan AME Church.
In South Carolina, one congregation hosted its annual celebration to honor the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Monday, January 20, Chappelle Memorial AME Church gathered folks in the surrounding community to remember the teachings of the Civil Rights champion.
Several faith-based communities across New York City also held a space of reverence for the late religious leader. The storied Harlem Gospel Choir performed in a Martin Luther King Day Matinee and The Jewish Museum facilitated a free workshop engaging youth with topics of Black history through the art of cartoons and comics.
Race, Religion, and Culture
Earlier this month, the City of Poughkeepsie celebrated Three Kings Day (widely known as Epiphany), a holiday commonly observed in Latin American countries. Read how one local resident got to relive some of her happiest childhood memories, honor her heritage, and share the experience with her children.
Those planning a trip to Brazil may be eager to try acarajé (or “Jesus Fritter”), a popular street food of complex origin. Brought to the country via the Brazilian Slave Trade in the 1500s, the cuisine carries a historical connection to religious practice in the Afro-Brazilian community. Today, acarajé is “not just a delicacy,” rather, a source of race-based tension as two groups battle over its true purpose.
Kosovo, a country in Southeast Europe where 93% of its population identifies as Muslim while 1.75% identify as Roman Catholic, is seeing some stirrings of a religious shakeup. In a country fraught with religious division and violence, a group of Albanian activists are leading a “return movement,” a point toward the nation’s Pre-Islamic past which Kosovo’s Christian converts claim as central to their European identity.
Out of the Ashes
Southern California’s houses of worship are in the line of fire as the state is ravaged by wildfires brought on by dry conditions and ferocious winds. Many religious centers saw significant damage, while others, including Altadena United Methodist Church, Altadena Community Church, and Masjid Al-Taqwa were completely destroyed.
As the ghastly California wildfires continue to rage in the region, this synagogue made strides to preserve its history. Last week, congregants of The Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center came together while “ashes were falling in the parking lot,” to pack up its 13 Torahs. Each scroll was rescued from the sanctuary before it became part of the thousands of buildings burned in the blaze.
At least 10 spiritual spaces were impacted by inferno including: one mosque, one synagogue, one Catholic sanctuary and seven Protestant chapels. However, plans to rebuild the aftermath of the disaster are underway as local leaders and neighbors come together and champion fundraising efforts or lend a “listening ear.”
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