More than 300 people gathered on Monday morning for the 17th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Breakfast, an event sponsored by the Selma Chapter of Links, Inc. “We focus on unity throughout the community, just as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. envisioned,” said Mrs. Dorothy Brown, chairperson of this year’s event. “The unity breakfast is a culmination of these efforts. This year we’re focusing on the youth.”

Members of the Selma High School Ensemble sang a few selections throughout the event, presentations of resolutions and gifts welcoming Dr. Lee were awarded before she spoke, and recognition and thanks were given to all the sponsors and distinguished guests.

Three members of the community, Sister Jane Kelly, Attorney Faya Ora Rose Toure and Mr. Robert Carter, were given the Distinguished Citizens Award for their service to the community. Sister Kelly is a practitioner in the Pine Apple community, Attorney Toure has worked heavily with civil rights cases and Mr. Carter is the principal of Sophia P. Kingston Elementary.

“We’re just going to try to continue to do the same things to work with the boys and girls of Selma,” Mr. Carter said. His school offers after-school care where students can receive homework help or learn test-taking skills. “It’s not just about babysitting,” Mr. Carter said.

Dr. Lee chose to mold her speech after the theme of this year’s breakfast: “Continuing the Dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Empowering the Community Through Change and Unity.”

She spoke of memories of having Dr. King over to her home for dinner one night. “I know something was special because I wasn’t allowed to eat at the dining room table,” Dr. Lee said.

She also discussed the manners in which some of his dreams have manifested in the community of Selma. From Dr. King’s “I have a dream” speech, Dr. Lee believes that people are now starting to judge each other by character instead of outward appearances. “As Dr. King said, we must commit ourselves to making this a better world,” Dr. Lee said. “It is a true work in progress.” She then asked all listening to take the time and start to create the unity the Selma community needs to prosper.

“This is a superb event,” Dr. Lee said. “It was a wonderful turn out. It really shows how unified Selma has become.”

Links, Inc. is one of the oldest and largest volunteer organizations, comprised of professional women of color. The Selma Chapter is one of 270 chapters in the United States, District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.