Martin Luther King was a kind man who had one dream, a country in which all people were treated equally. On January 18th we celebrate this man for his actions and all that he stood for. This year at the annual MLK assembly there was a pulse performance, guest speech by Jerry Large, faculty speech by Ms. Borgen, student reflection by Riley Burton, and a song sang by Pastor Pat Wright. Jerry Large has been a journalist for 34 for years and is currently working for the Seattle Times. He spoke about the history of African Americans in the United States, ranging from the beginning of slavery and connecting it to the issues of racism we face today.

His speech was followed by Ms. Borgen who spoke about her grandparents who despite their views of equality still held their own prejudices. Her family had to confront their own prejudices when one of their daughters married an African American. This event caused years of conflict and was only overcome when they lost a daughter to cancer. This disaster motivated them to put their prejudice aside and reach out to the daughter they still had. Ms. Borgen also touched base on her beliefs about racism growing up.

Riley Burton followed Ms. Borgen with a speech about his own life and his personal experiences of racism. As a light skinned African American Riley felt like an outcast in both races. Riley’s speech was relatable to anyone who has ever felt caught between two worlds. Whether it is too different races, two different friends groups, or two different life styles.

Pastor Pat Wright wrapped the assembly up with an amazing song. She has sang for three different presidents, several kings and queens, and left her mark on many others who have had the privilege of being a part of her audience. She used her voice and passion to move the audience and leave the students with a final reminder of the history of African Americans with the African American national anthem.

Junior Megan Floyd shared that she really enjoyed listening to Ms. Borgen’s and Riley Berton’s speeches and loved how they each connected the theme of the assembly to their everyday lives. She described the assembly as an informative and inspiring experience.