Elgin's annual MLK prayer breakfast returns in person to ECC
After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Elgin's 38th annual prayer breakfast celebration honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. returned in person Saturday at Elgin Community College.
Event co-chair Janice Hare kicked off the celebration with an uplifting speech in front of a packed audience.
“It's exciting to be able to see people again,” she said. “A lot of people have been through a lot of things in the past 2 1/2 years.”
Each year, the breakfast is themed after a King quote. This year's theme was, “Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?.'”
Ceremony host April Wells, gifted coordinator for Elgin Area School District U-46, also spoke before the breakfast started. The Rev. Felicia LaBoy of First United Methodist Church in Elgin delivered a keynote speech and annual award winners were announced.
Four people received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award, which recognizes individuals from Elgin whose work reflects the teachings and life of King. They were: Marcus E. Banner, a member of Elgin's citizen's task force on policing; Shirley Bassett, one of the organizers of Elgin's Juneteenth festival and president of the African American Coalition of Kane County; Mansi Patel, director of development, equity and human resources for Family Service Association of Greater Elgin Area who has led diversity, equity and inclusion efforts for the Elgin Human Service Council; and Elgin police detective Dan Rouse.
“It was just wonderful to see everybody in that room today,” said Danise Habun, co-chair of the celebration committee. “This year, we just kind of came back with a bang awarding 12 scholarships, four humanitarian awards. It was just beautiful.”
Twelve seniors from three high schools — Larkin in Elgin, South Elgin and Elgin Academy — were awarded scholarships, given annually to students who have demonstrated an active interest and meaningful involvement in the areas of human rights, civil rights, social justice and/or world peace. The award amount ranges from $500 to $1,000.
The prayer breakfast is part of the Elgin Human Relations Commission's weekend of activities celebrating King.
The weekend celebration includes the Illinois premiere of the documentary “Invented Before You Were Born.” It will be screened for free from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday in the Larkin High School auditorium. The film follows the story of white siblings Jonathan and Rachel Knight. They discover they are the descendants of a Kentucky slave owner who freed 65 enslaved people and gave them land, homes, tools and money to establish themselves as free Blacks in America.
Traci Ellis — an author, Larkin High School graduate and former Elgin Area School District U-46 school board member — is among the descendants of the freed people.
A Q&A session featuring filmmakers Jonathan Knight and Le Datta Grimes, as well as Ellis will follow.
Daily Herald staff photographers Brian Hill and Rick West contributed to this report.