Michele Miller
What’s What New Port Richey
January 19, 2023
Color is color
Humanity, by Alex Harris
Heartbeat’s the same
Tell me what is the difference
Inside we’re made the same….
“We’re all human.”
Two guitars and the blending of two voices with others joining in on a tune sung between music sets serve to well the eyes and give rise to remembering something about our humble, collective place in this world.
Such is the power of song and a reason for organizers to make music a centerpiece of the Celebrate the Dream MLK event held on January 15, Dr. King’s actual birthday (born Jan. 15, 1929) in Sims Park in downtown New Port Richey.
The touching duet featured local singer and songwriter of “Humanity”, Alex Harris, accompanied by Shevonne Philidor and audience members chiming in on the “We’re all human” refrain. The performance came after Shevonne and the Force’s rousing performance of some original tunes and a few covers including a show-stopping rendition of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You”, made famous by Whitney Houston. After that the always crowd-pleasing “get on your feet and dance” inspiring Black Honkeys Band took the stage. Rounding it out were singers from the Christ United Church Praise Team, Dynari Taylor singing “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing”, Chaasad Fearing leading “The Star-Spangled Banner”, and youth performers in the Million Dollar Divas Dance Troupe.
There were speakers as well, including Pastor Sherwayne Phillips of Union Missionary Baptist Church, who led an opening prayer for the event. Followed were reflections from Eric Matheney, Executive Pastor of East Lake Church of God in Christ and welcoming words from city officials and AAC president, Eugene Scott.
The celebratory event, sponsored by Friendly Kia, WGHR-HITS-106, the African American Club of Pasco the City of New Port Richey, American Freight, and The Tampa Bay Times, was one of two local west Pasco MLK events held over two days.
On Monday, Jan. 16, the African American Club of Pasco (AAC) also hosted its annual symbolic march and “standing room only” celebration at the historic Booker T. Washington School, a former elementary school for blacks during the times of segregation. That MLK celebration featured speakers interspersed with performances by youth in the AAC’s This is How We Do It Performing Arts Academy. Marlowe Jones recited passages from Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. Pastor Shewrwayne Phillips of the Union Missionary Baptist Church and Rabbi Ronald Becker from the Jewish Community Center of West Pasco shared their own reflections on Dr. King’s impact. Closing it out was AAC president, Eugene Scott, who attended Booker T. Washington School as a boy.
It was a coming home celebration of sorts. Due to asbestos abatement at the Booker T. Washington School in recent years, the gathering event held after the march had been moved further down the road to the Unity Spiritual Center.
For Stephen Schurdell who got things rolling for the MLK Celebrate the Dream event held at Sims Park, it seemed something that was a long time coming for the city. For AAC president, Eugene Scott, and club members it may have seemed like it had been a long time since.
Scott served as AAC president back in 1994 when the club and the city hosted an MLK Celebration in Sims Park, with a particular intention that children be included in the program as a way to highlight their talents and educate others about African American Culture. (King’s Dream Lives in Children, Tampa Bay Times, Jan. 1994
The financial cost of putting on the event became a hurdle for the club, as did January’s unpredictable weather, said Scott, recalling “One year it rained.”
This year’s event came together in three weeks’ time and after a conversation between Schurdell, who is managing partner at radio station WGHR-HITS 106, and Phillip Esposito, frontman for The Black Honkeys Band.
Schurdell, who as a young man had been challenged to read Dr. King’s speeches by an African American mentor in the steelworkers union in Ohio, was perplexed at the lack of local MLK festivals.
“I told Phil that I would love to put one on. He said, “We’re in and we can do it on a Sunday.”
Schurdell then contacted John Gilliss of Friendly Kia, “a really, really benevolent, charitable guy” who came on as the primary sponsor along with Hits 106.
“I went to the city and they were very open to the idea and waived certain fees,” Schurdell said. “I knew that the African American Club for decades had done an event on the actual Monday, so I reached out to them. They were very, very excited.”
Eugene Scott said he was happy to be on board and brought in speakers and a slew of volunteers who helped organize, set up, break down and perform.
“We became a community at that point,” he said, marveling at how Schurdell threw his all into the event, even when it came to breaking tables down when it was over.
“It felt very comfortable with everyone -because we shared one cause. We thought a music celebration was a great idea.”
As it did way back when, the 2022 Celebrate the Dream event showcased the talents of local youth.
“I’m so proud of these kids,” said Scott, who among his duties as president helps cook and serve dinner for youth attending weeknight theatre, band and dance classes at the AAC.
Celebrate the Dream delivered an overall message of love and community inspired by Dr. King. It also could mark a resurrection of the once-held celebration to honor the Civil Rights hero in the city’s prized park and broaden the celebration to a three-day event.
Plans are in the works for 2024 with “penciled-in” events that include a Saturday musical festival, a day of worship on Sunday, and the African American Club’s annual symbolic walk and celebration the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday on Monday.
“It’s important to have a day of worship,” said Scott, “Because Dr. King was a reverend and he was human.”
Organizers will be meeting to talk about what worked and didn’t work as they map out next year and also get the word out early to boost attendance and sponsorship.
While Schurdell said he would have liked to see more people come out he said that he understands that the later notice and the threat of a cold-weather weekend likely kept some people home.
Even so, he said, “I felt like we were planting a flag.”
FYI
African American Club of Pasco
6105 Pine Hill Road, Port Richey, FL. 34668
- From the AAC website – The African American Club of Pasco (AAC) is a non-profit community-based organization comprised of concerned citizens with a common goal of providing positive social, educational and cultural solutions to the problems facing both individuals and their communities. “Purpose and motivation to succeed in life” are consistently reinforced as the bedrock ingredients in the foundation of every program offered at the AAC in response to the many challenges offered by our global and diverse society,
- Meetings are held at 11 a.m. on the first Saturday of the month, Sept.-June. Membership starts at $25.
- Annual events include Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Celebration, Black History Month gatherings, Juneteenth Celebration, and Scholarship Dinner Dance. For more information on times/dates. to purchase tickets go to aacpascofl.org/aac-events. For information on the AAC Scholarship, go to aacpascofl.org/scholarship-programs
- Volunteer opportunities. For info go to aacpascofl.org/volunteer-opportunities
- Donations. Go to aacpascofl.org/donate
Get your tickets and/or advertise or make a donation to help support the AAC Scholarship Program
The 8th Annual AAC Scholarship Dinner Dance will be from 6-10 p.m. on April 22 at Seven Springs Golf and Country Club in New Port Richey. Tickets are $70 per person. Advertising slots are available in the dinner dance program. For information, email aacofpasco@yahoo.com
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