Event honors King's work

First African American woman Surgeon General shares hopes for healthier society

January 23, 2006 —

by Brandon Kish

Dr. M. Joycelyn Elders emphasizes the importance of health care for all children during Wednesday night's Martin Luther King Jr. celebration. Elders was nominated for Surgeon General of the U.S. Public Health Service by Bill Clinton in July 1993.

by Brandon Kish

Henry and Ruth Marsh, Saginaw residents, talk with Elders after Wednesday night's event.

"We are at the kingdom's edge, but we can still dream," said President Eric R. Gilbertson in his opening remarks at the Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration, "Vision 2006: Healthy People/Healthy Communities," on Wednesday. The dinner included musical performances, essays, and speeches.

Master of Ceremonies Calvin Perry McFarland, director of SVSU Minority Student Services, introduced Gilbertson and Kimberlydawn Wisdom, MD, MS, Michigan Surgeon General, who spoke on accomplishments and goals for Michigan.

The Heritage Singers, under the leadership of Iris Haynes, performed three selections at the event including "Lord Remember Me," "Give Me Jesus," and "Every Time I Feel The Spirit." The group of adult singers, formed in 1984, included singers from the tri-city area and one from the Flint area.

Also speaking at the event were the Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest winners who read their essays to a delighted crowd. Fourth place winner Amanda Kay Cooper was not present, but her essay was titled "The Problems Our Nation Faces." Steve Lewitzke, who tied for second place, spoke how Americans "must live, and transcend (Dr. King's) philosophies into its own domestic and international plans."

Lewitzke tied with Ashley Talley, who compared the United States to an adolescent still in its awkward and formative years in her essay "A Positive Prognosis." First place winner Anderson Bearden, with his essay "Dr. King's Unfilled Dream," centered on his idea that King would not be satisfied with the world today. He would "put his arm around us and say, 'C'mon, we have work to do."

A visual essay was coordinated by Fenobia I. Dallas, assistant professor of English and Jennifer Jackson, assistant director of Student Life, showing images of King and testimonials of several SVSU students.

The main event, however, was guest speaker Dr. M. Joycelyn Elders, professor of health at the University of Arkansas Medical School and former U.S. Surgeon General.

Elders was the first of eight children in her sharecropping family and the first to go to college. She attended the University of Arkansas Medical School on the G.I. Bill, where she graduated in 1960. She was also the first African American woman to hold the post of U.S. Surgeon General, where she was hired in 1993.

She put health care prevention at the top of her list.

"I want to be the voice and vision of the poor and powerless," she said. "And I would like to make every child born in America a wanted child."

Elders' speech pushed the idea that dreams happen while a person is asleep but for visions, you need to be awake. She gave a challenge to the essay winners, telling Bearden to make changes in the world, Lewitzke that he would make a great politician, and Talley that she made a great metaphor about how our country is growing, having problems, and making mistakes but we will still get to the solution in the end.

Upcoming events through Diversity Programs include "Songs of Struggle/Songs of Faith" on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the Rhea Miller Recital Hall and a Humanities Seminar featuring Sundiata Keita-Cha-Jua on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m. in Founders Hall.