Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Observance

On Monday, I joined hundreds from throughout Dane County in commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday at the Overture Center for Arts for the 30^th Annual Madison and Dane County Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance Ceremony.

At the ceremony, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and I presented the 2015 City-County Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Awards to two very deserving recipients: Barbara Nichols and Peng Her.

Ms. Nichols has dedicated her career and life to public service with a focus on Civil Rights.

Mr. Her overcame adversity to become an activist for not only the Hmong community but also for other marginalized populations.

Despite their differing career paths, both recipients embody the ideal that Dr. King lived.

Diane Nash, a long time civil rights leader and peace activist delivered the keynote address. Her career accomplishments include serving on a national committee that promoted passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and being active in the peace movement that contributed to the end of war in Vietnam. Her remarks were inspiring.

The gathering served as a celebration of the progress that has been made, and an important reminder of the work that remains. The legacy of Dr. King continues to motivate us to embody the qualities that he lived; fairness, equality, and peace.