WORCESTER, Mass. - Quinsigamond Community College held the 39th annual MLK Jr. Community Breakfast on Monday.

What You Need To Know

  • Quinsigamond Community College hosted an annual community breakfast to honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

  • The annual event was held at Assumption University this year with Vincent D. Rougeau, president of the College of the Holy Cross, as the keynote speaker. The Breakfast will return to Quinsigamond Community College in 2025 when campus construction is completed.

  • Local organizations held sign ups for future volunteer opportunities, organizers said, to keep the spirit of MLK, Jr. Day alive throughout the year

  • New, age-appropriate books related to MLK or the theme of diversity for second and third grade students in Worcester and Fitchburg public schools were collected at the breakfast

Master of Ceremonies, Reverend Dr. Debora Jackson, said while nearly four decades seems like a long time, it’s a short period in terms of the span of a life.

“The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was only 39 years old when he was taken from us," Rev. Debora Jackson, said. "But in 39 years, he left an indelible mark on the world.”

This year’s keynote speaker, Holy Cross President Vincent Rougeau, said Martin Luther King Jr. Day serves as a reminder to continue the work of the civil rights leader.

“This day is always really important because it reminds me of all of the work that was done to help to move our society forward around issues of racial and economic justice," Rougeau said. "And it also reminds me that there’s work still to do.”

Local organizations offered chances to sign up for “day of service” opportunities, and musical selections highlighted the event on what would have been Martin Luther King Jr’s 95th birthday.

In his speech to hundreds of community members and leaders, Rougeau said now in 2024, it’s common to feel stuck in the status quo of injustice many Americans would like to change, but it’s essential to work together and put love into action for an inclusive, just and vibrant future for Worcester and the rest of the country.

“The idea that we come together, and we recognize need in our community and we recognize injustice in our community, and we work together to move beyond it to solve it is critically important,' Rougeau said. "So, I think Dr. King's message yearly is a great opportunity to remind us that the work continues, but that it's work that we'll do together and that we're all better for it.”

Looking ahead, the 24th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Golf Tournament will be held at Quail Hollow Golf and Country Club in Oakham on Saturday, July 20, 2024.