As more than 600 attendees lunched and ruminated on the spirit and philosophy of one of the U.S.' preeminent civil rights leaders, Mayor Tari Renner acknowledged and apologized for a 2013 racial remark by a BPD policeman that came to light in a recent court proceeding.
At the 39th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Awards Luncheon program Saturday at Illinois State University's Bone Student Center, Renner said the comment, which earned the officer an official reprimand by new Police Chief Brendan Heffner, "is not who we are."
"It's not the community I want us to be in the 21st century," The mayor said (see accompanying video by Not In Our Town: Bloomington-Normal's Darlene Miller).
"It is just unacceptable behavior. I'm very sorry for that," Renner said. "Let's work together. I need your ideas. We need your creativity in the future. I look forward to working with all of you to make Bloomington-Normal a better community and embrace our diversity."
Keynote speaker was AME Church Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie of Texas, who told the luncheon's sold-out crowd "the recent events this year have shaken America out of our fantasyland of a post-racial society." Recent police shootings and subsequent public protests have "exposed the underbelly of hatred and fear and elicits biases that still exist," the AME's first elected female bishop said.
"We must find a nonviolent way to give voice to the rage simmering just below the surface," Murphy McKenzie maintained.
"We need more people with uncommon courage to work toward a solution to the problems that face us in our communities ... and find a way to speak with one voice. We must work hard to find a common ground."
Community groups including NIOT:BN and local police agencies hope to identify that common ground during Breaking Barriers, a police-community discussion from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at City of Refuge Church, Bloomington.
A new lifetime achievement award was given posthumously to local labor leader David Penn.
Award-winner Stokes is a volunteer with the Boys & Girls Club, is active in Mount Pisgah Baptist Church and is a long-time member of the Orthodox Woodriver District Baptist Association. She is first vice president of the Bloomington-Normal NAACP and is past president of the Bloomington-Normal alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.
Jones has coordinated the Bloomington-Normal Cultural Festival; spearheaded the creation of an entrepreneur showcase to inform the community of minority businesses; and created a monthly fundraising event with proceeds going to different community organizations.
Ajayi attends Normal Community High School; Smith is a student at Normal Community West High School. She was cited for her leadership of the school's Culture Club and her church; she has worked for a Not In Our School campaign.
Smith was cited for her school and extracurricular activities and her broad support of inclusiveness. She will be salutatorian for the Class of 2015.