BY BRANDY TEMPLETON

The Town of Mooresville celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the Charles Mack Citizen Center on Monday. The program was a collaboration between the Town of Mooresville, Mooresville Graded School District, and the MLK Day Celebration Planning Committee.

Kicking off with a Peace Walk, the “Mission Possible: Dream Bigger” event included music, breakfast, dancing, testimony, and more.

Master of Ceremonies Mario King shared MLK’s principles and why it is important to honor the civil rights leader’s work.

“He chose love over hate, justice over oppression, hope over despair,” King said. “He had the steadfast belief that brighter days were ahead.”

Throughout the program, powerful music from Shelly McIver and Tynsley Williams brought that hope.
Students Aaron Faulkner, Jordan Merrells, and Stone Speller shared their hopeful testimonies. The U.N.i.Q.U.E. girls dance team performed to praise music also sharing hope.

Keynote Speaker Pastor Sheldon McIver delivered a message of hope as well, stressing the importance of diversity and unity.

“Even if it’s daunting and scary, you have to face those challenges,” McIver said. “If it weren’t for the ones who stood up to water hoses and dogs then, we wouldn’t be here now. Change comes from the inside, and it takes more than dreaming.”

“We must continue to fight, push, stand up,” he said. “We’ve got to stop dreaming and make our dreams become reality. We have to have the difficult conversations and make the mission possible.”

McIver challenged everyone to be a part of making those dreams come true.

Quoting MLK, he said, “A man can’t ride your back unless it’s bent.”

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