Keep on Pushing: MLK Remembered at Breakfast, but Speaker Highlights Need to Address Division in America
HOLYOKE — For Shannon Rudder, the theme of civil rights in the year 2025 could be summed up with a Curtis Mayfield song: “Keep on Pushing.”
“In the face of our global, national and local climate, I ask each of you here with me this morning, how are you pushing forward?” Rudder, the president and CEO of the Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services in Springfield, asked a group of around 100 people gathered at the Summit View Banquet and Meeting House in Holyoke on Friday. “It’s no secret that the history of our civil rights in the United States has been two steps forward, one step back.”
Rudder served as the keynote speaker for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Breakfast, an event hosted by the nonprofit Greater Holyoke Council for Human Understanding since 1983 around the holiday commemorating the late civil rights leader.
In discussing U.S. civil rights in the present day, Rudder emphasized that while there have been significant advances since the time of Dr. King, it is crucial to “reckon with the current realities” of division and hate in America. She highlighted the rise of restrictions in several states concerning the teaching of race and sexual orientation, the curtailing of reproductive rights across the nation, and the challenge to affirmative action programs in higher education by the Supreme Court.
“So many in this lifetime have persevered for these laws that are now being called into question, shaking our very foundation of our democracy and social contract,” Rudder remarked. “As we usher in a new administration that is loud and proud about their plans to further dismantle our collective progress, I urge each of us gathered here today to plug in, to stay vigilant.”
Rudder shared her feelings of being “paralyzed with disbelief” following the presidential election in November, expressing fear for her daughters’ future and coping with feelings of devastation. Recognizing the fatigue that often accompanies the fight for social justice, she encouraged the practice of “radical self-care.”
“I questioned my faith because I could feel myself beginning to catastrophize,” Rudder admitted. “We do need to unplug and recharge, and the movement must continue. For your holistic well-being, be sure to practice that self-love, for love is the central message of Dr. King’s life work.”
Despite the challenges, Rudder emphasized the importance of continuing the fight for civil rights. She evoked the legacies of notable Black civil rights leaders like Harry Belafonte, James Baldwin, and Rosa Parks as inspiration for how to utilize one’s gifts to lead social movements in the country.
“We are an unstoppable people. We are a force for justice, a beacon of hope, and a testament to the strength of our shared commitment,” Rudder proclaimed. “The road ahead will be challenging, but as the beloved community, we will rise, we will fight, and we will prevail.”
Following Rudder’s speech, the Bethlehem Baptist Community Choir of Holyoke performed gospel music, which led into a collective singing of “We Shall Overcome.” The Rev. Theresa Temple of the First Baptist Church of Holyoke delivered the benediction that concluded the event.
Also present at the occasion was Council for Human Understanding President Gina Nelson, who served as the mistress of ceremonies, along with Holyoke Director of Planning & Economic Development Aaron Vega and Holyoke Mayor Josh Garcia.
In his remarks, Garcia called on the community to respond to King’s call for action concerning civil rights and racial justice. “Our compassion brings forward certain quality of life challenges that often divide people; and that is why it’s important we have events like this to reflect and remind us who we are as human beings,” he noted. “The struggle continues. We have a way to go. But gatherings such as this morning’s event fuel the engines of progress, justice, and equality.”
