2025 MLK MASS CELEBRATION

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 6:00 PM

ST. JAMES UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
5540 Wayne Ave., Kansas City, MO 64110

SCLC-GKC 2025 Mass Celebration RECORDING

KSHB 41’s Cynthia Newsome will moderate panelist and the community at the SCLC-GKC Mass Celebration with hopes to help chart a path toward more cohesion in the work of local advocacy.

Our Panelists

The theme of the 2025 SCLC-GKC MLK Mass Celebration is "Where Do We Go from Here?"
The format includes leaders on a panel to respond to Dr. King's 1965 question in conversation with the attendees.

Dr. Jennifer Collier
KCPS Superintendent

U.S. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II
5th District KCMO

Kerry Muhammad
Student Minister Nation of Islam

Janay Reliford
Chair
Kansas City Reparations Coalition

Councilwoman Melissa Robinson
3rd District KCMO

Ryan Sorrell
Founder & Publisher, Kansas City Defender Digital Publication

Bishop
James D. Tindall, Sr.
Founder,
Urban Summit KC

Dwayne Williams
President and CEO, Twelfth Street Heritage Corporation

Artists

VP3

A Kansas City born Saxophonist, Pianist, Songwriter and

Music Producer

The St. James Church Choir

Ms. Bria Douglas

Vocalist & Worshipper

The Rev. Alberta Walker

SCLC-GKC Songbird

and Worship Leader

S.T.E.P. Movement

Special Performance

2025 Award Recipients

Community Service Award

Family of Cameron Lamb

A Pre-Celebration Rally and Press Conference preceded the MLK Mass Celebration

Our special guest, the family of Cameron Lamb and Cameron Lamb (posthumously) was presented with a special Spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Award. We stood with the family and other civil rights and faith leaders in condemning Governor Parson's commutation of the sentence of the KCPD police officer who killed unarmed Cameron, including a Call to Action to organize a national campaign with other Civil Rights and community organizations to address this travesty of justice unparalleled in Black Lives Matter era history.

MLK Press Conference-Support for Cameron Lamb.jpg

Legacy Award

The Rev. Dr. Samuel E. Mann to be awarded the SCLC-GKC Legacy Award and will be honored with elevation as SCLC-GKC Board Chairman Emeritus.

Rev. Mann served as chair of SCLC-GKC and now has a 40 year plus tenure of service demanding, advocating, working, praying, toiling, crying, sweating, and praying some more for the protection of human dignity and the defense of civil and human rights of all of God's children!

His 1980's visit to South Africa to protest about Nelson Mandela and 1980's protest of a Frank Sinatra concert at the Kemper arena after Sinatra had performed in South Africa despite the US sanctions against that racist regime, are just two examples of his profound witness and social justice activism!

He served as pastor of the Historic St. Mark Church at 1101 Euclid in Kansas City, Missouri for 40 years and his heart attached to a woman, scholar, and educator Dr. Beverlye Brown, who shared that resistance to racism and who joined him as his wife in the ministry and pastorate.

Additionally, he led the 1988 "Reframing the Dialogue on Racism" seminars which set path for anti-racism thought. He has been integral to the training and shaping of called ministers, the feeding of the hungry, the assistance of payments of gas, water, and light bills for the poor, the breaking down of the barriers which separated the church from the marginalized and the oppressed, as well as the education of the most vulnerable in Kansas City.

He is affectionately named by his mentee and heartfelt friend, Dr. Howard, as "The Great Prophet" and many have been positively impacted by his life and legacy!

President's Award

Mr. Kevin Woolfolk, SCLC-GKC Director of Activism & Membership Engagement

to be awarded the President's Award.

Kevin serves as host of SCLC-GKC's radio broadcast, Community Solutions, on KPRT Gospel 1590-AM/106.1-FM, and KPRT.com which was hosted by one of his idols, the late Rev. Nelson “Fuzzy” Thompson for 25 years.

He was integral to getting Dr. Martin Luther King’s Jr.’s name permanently installed on a major boulevard in Kansas City.

As a representative of SCLC-GKC he has valiantly made the case for local reparations while serving on the Kansas City Reparations Coalition (KCRC). Additionally, Kevin serves on Jackson County Legislature’s Freedom Wall Commission which honors those who have made significant contributions to Kansas City’s African American Community.

As a racial justice activist, he vows to not be silenced by those who want to believe that systemic racism does not exist. His hope is that someday America will put racial justice activists, like himself, out of business and knows there is still a lot of work to do and a long way to go!