Convocation and Children’s Celebration

1pm – 2:30pm, Edwards Church, 297 Main Street, Northampton

We’re happy to announce that this year that the Children’s Celebration (annually produced by Ousmane and Melissa Power-Greene) will be taking place at the same time and location as our Convocation. Folks of all ages are welcome to attend at 1pm – elementary school-aged children can attend the Children’s Celebration in Addis Hall, while the main Convocation will take place in the Sanctuary. At the end of the hour, the two programs will combine and conclude with the The Focus Chorus and Local Chorus directed by Nerissa Nields – and then folks can go off to the Workshops by Community Organizations!

Convocation Program

Introductory Music by Bomba De Aqui
Bomba De Aqui is a traditional musical style from Puerto Rico and incorporates percussion, dance, and singing.

Hosted by Myra Lam
Myra is a Board Director of The Resistance Center for Peace and Justice, and a teacher in South Hadley.

Introductory Address by Jeff Napolitano
Jeff is the Executive Director of The Resistance Center for Peace and Justice.

Activist Panel on Dr. King’s Influence

  • Tanisha Arena, Executive Director, Arise for Social Justice
  • Jackie Velez, Organizer, Neighbor to Neighbor Holyoke
  • Ousmane Power-Greene, Professor, Clark University

The Focus Chorus and Local Chorus

Directed by Nerissa Nields, the chorus and participants from the Children’s Celebration will join us in the sanctuary to close out the convocation with renditions of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, Pride (In the Name of Love), and People Get Ready.

(There’s a rumor that the audience will be asked to sing Lift Every Voice and Sing, led by Gwendolyn Greene and Coletrane Power-Greene.)

Children’s Celebration

While the Convocation is going on from 1-2pm in the Sanctuary, the Children’s Celebration will be taking place in Addis Hall (downstairs), and conclude by joining everyone in the sanctuary. The program will consist of:

  • Musical introduction
  • Welcome and discussion about MLK Jr and why we celebrate the day
  • Martin’s Big Words
  • Sing Along- “This Little Light of Mine” and “If I had a Hammer”
  • Mister El Are Performance: Martin Luther King Jr. story of his life and his message
  • Performance/Drama:“Dream’s Begin with Dreamers”
  • Speech by Martin Luther King Jr. with slide show.
  • Procession upstairs singing “We shall Overcome“