DreamWeek kicked off with a keynote address by Martin Luther King, III at the Opening Ceremony Breakfast at the Jack Guenther Pavilion. The summit runs from January 8-19 in downtown San Antonio. All event schedules are available on dreamweek.org.
Martin Luther King III, the son of the late civil rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr., gave a rousing speech that captivated attendees into moral refections with sobering scenarios and bouts of humor on Friday morning during the DreamWeek San Antonio opening breakfast. The 12-day DreamWeek summit takes place throughout the city’s urban core seeks to inspire multicultural community dialogue while honoring the teachings of MLK.
King touched on controversial topics such as gun violence, police brutality, diversity in state government, equality, voting rights, and even marijuana.
Shouts of affirmation rippled through the audience as King asked the attendees how society could ever achieve greatness as long as the people operating within that society are obsessed with guns.
“For those of us who purport to be Christians, I am not sure how you can allow Christ and fear to exist at the same time,” King said. “Either God works or God doesn’t work. Which one are you going to depend on, the gun or God? I speak from a perspective different from most – my daddy was gunned down in Memphis, Tennessee when I was 10 years old by a white man.
In 1974, my grandmother was gunned down in a church while playing the lord’s prayer by black man,” he added. “So legitimately, I could hate all of y’all.”
The audience erupted with nervous laughter.
“But I chose to embrace love,” he said.
Martin Luther King III gives a speech during the opening day of DreamWeek 2016. Photo by Scott Ball.Martin Luther King III gives a speech during the opening day of DreamWeek 2016. Photo by Scott Ball.
King also called for more diversity in state and local legislatures in terms of both race and sexuality.
“Let us not rest until our political institutions reflect the demographic realities of our country,” he said.
He went on to advocate for the end of voter suppression through the implementation of automatic voter registration in all 50 states, the availability of online voting to all citizens, and the allowance of incarcerated citizens to be granted the right to vote after they have served their sentence. Not allowing incarcerated citizens the right to vote following their sentence is “taxation without representation,” King said.
As for police brutality, he believes incidents of police brutality are just as prevalent today as they were when his father was alive 60 years ago – the only difference being that today, people have smartphones to document it.
King continued touching on political hot topics, commenting that he is “one of the few people” who has never experimented with marijuana. That being said, he also has not made up his mind on how he stands on the issue of legalizing marijuana for recreational use. The audience chuckled as King struggled to find the right words.
“My higher point is … ” he said, to even more laughter before he brought his speech back on topic.
He questions whether sending people to jail on marijuana charges is a good use of tax dollars.
“It’s illegal now, so you shouldn’t do it…at least in Texas,” King joked. “You can go to Colorado…”
King spoke after guests enjoyed breakfast at The Briscoe Western Art Museum, which was very well attended by community leadership including City Manager Sheryl Sculley, several City Council members, and a who’s-who of the African-American community.
The DreamWeek calendar has grown from a 30 events during its inaugural year in 2013 to a more than 130-event celebration across over 80 locations. The goal of DreamWeek is to create spaces that inspire dialogues that promote tolerance, equality and diversity. The summit culminates with the Martin Luther King Jr. March on Monday, Jan. 18.
B Michelle hugs a friend during the opening day of DreamWeek. Photo by Scott Ball. Michelle hugs a friend during the opening day of DreamWeek. Photo by Scott Ball.
Shokare Nakpodia, the president of DreamVoice LLC, which produces DreamWeek, gave a brief overview of the summit and its many events and thanked several of the people who were instrumental in its creation and growth.
Mayor Ivy Taylor also spoke about the social milestones San Antonio has achieved in recent years.
Less than 10% of the city’s population is African-American, but San Antonio is home to one of the largest Martin Luther King Jr. marches in the country, with an estimated 150,000 attendees in recent years. Taylor cited her election as an African-American woman as a clear sign the city is becoming more progressive.
Taj Matthews, the grandson of local civil rights activist Claude Black and a longtime friend to Martin Luther King III, introduced the speaker to the crowd.
“What do you think your father would think, in a city where we are less than 10% of the population, that we would elect a dynamic figure to head our city, a woman of color?” Matthews said. “That was his dream.”
A guest flips through a book given out by DreamWeek. Photo by Scott Ball. A guest flips through a book given out by DreamWeek. Photo by Scott Ball.
King concluded his speech with a story about his father. He said he remembers traveling with his father and hearing him tell people that the measure of a human being is not in terms of where they stand in times of comfort and convenience, but where they stand in times of challenge and controversy.
He challenged the crowd to take positions that are “neither safe, nor popular nor political” in an effort to “make the world a little better than it was when you arrived.”
*Top Image: Martin Luther King III applauds after the National Anthem was sung. Photo by Scott Ball.
SAN ANTONIO – A 12-day summit celebrating diversity and tolerance kicks off today in San Antonio.
The 4th annual Dream Week began with a breakfast ceremony Downtown. The keynote speaker at the breakfast was Martin Luther King, III, the son of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dream Week continues until Tuesday, January 19 and will include panel discussions and speaking engagements.
Some of the topics to be addressed include civil and immigration rights, LGBT equality and domestic violence initiatives.
For a complete list of Dream Week events, click here.
There’s a new art studio on South Flores in the SMART Art Project Space: Flax Studio.
The space — opened by Trinity University graduate and marketing and development manager at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, Katy Silva, and University of Texas at San Antonio graduate Andrei Renteria — seeks to encourage the development of San Antonio and South Texas’ emerging artists.
The word flax suits the space perfectly, as Silva and Renteria are painters and flax is an ingredient in oil paint and canvas.
“Andrei and I have seen the incredible growth of San Antonio’s art scene,” Silva says in a press release. “Flax was born out of our passion for painting and for the future success of the creative community.”
The studio’s grand opening is on January 9, Second Saturday, and will feature Sarah Sauer, a ceramic and paper products artist.
“Flax is honored to host Sarah,” Silva says. “She crafts brilliant ceramic and paper pieces that embody the simple union of innovation and good taste. Visitors to the studio are in for something truly unique.”
The opening coincides with DreamWeek San Antonio, which works to advance voices of tolerance, diversity and equality.
You can also catch the Second Saturday Art Walk and listen to Michael Cirlos, the visual journalist behind Humans of San Antonio will talk about tolerance and diversity, central tenants to DreamWeek.
SAN ANTONIO – A 12-day summit celebrating diversity and tolerance kicks off today in San Antonio.
The 4th annual Dream Week began with a breakfast ceremony Downtown. The keynote speaker at the breakfast was Martin Luther King, III, the son of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dream Week continues until Tuesday, January 19 and will include panel discussions and speaking engagements.
Some of the topics to be addressed include civil and immigration rights, LGBT equality and domestic violence initiatives.
For a complete list of Dream Week events, click here.
SAN ANTONIO — DreamWeek is almost here. It’s a time to start a dialogue on diversity and social change here in San Antonio.
Martin Luther King, III, the son of the late Dr. King, and Shakore Nakpodia, the president of Dreamvoice stopped by News 4 San Antonio’s Evening Break with why you should get involved in DreamWeek.
For more information, CLICK HERE.
Beginning January 8, forward thinkers and innovators will unite in downtown San Antonio for the Fourth Annual DreamWeek Summit. The multicultural convergence of thought provides a forum for the non-biased and open discussion of today’s most pressing sociocultural topics, presented through a series of mixers, panel discussions, luncheons and galas.
The 2016 summit is the largest yet, with more than 150 events that serve to bring awareness of the divisive societal issues that affect our varied cultures. All 150-plus functions are hosted by local individuals, organizations and entrepreneurs who are interested in advancing the voices of tolerance, equality and diversity.
The kaleidoscopic array of DreamWeek events ranges from heady think pieces to elaborate, celebratory soirees. A quick look through the featured events on dreamweek.org and you’ll spot keynote speaking engagements, live music and entertainment, art exhibitions, health and wellness colloquiums, family-oriented activities, and of course, innumerable food and drink festivities. Intellectually curious minds can attend several substantive panels on compelling modern topics; urbanites who want to explore the exotic fare and cocktail pairings of different cultures can attend several culinary affairs; and families can choose from a host of kid-friendly events, depending on whether they prefer a more cerebral or playful DreamWeek experience. “Featured Event” highlights include the SAGE: Taste the Dream Gala, Place Changing: Living Stories on the Eastside, and the #IAmHappiest Happy Hour where attendees will learn to optimize happiness and mingle with “The Happiest Humans” in America.
All events are unique in the attention they bring to a particular issue but ubiquitous in their mission to spread tolerance, equality and diversity. Furthermore, DreamWeek events seek to unite. The summit goal is to dismantle the culturally segregated boundaries created by modern society while continuing to uphold and celebrate what makes us unique and culturally diverse. Instead of ascribing an issue to only one demographic, DreamWeek aims to adopt and understand the global hurdles we all face, and work toward finding a peaceful resolution together.
The 150+ hosting partners throughout San Antonio who make DreamWeek possible represent a collective who have their thumb on the city’s pulse, and understand that the current zeitgeist is shifting. These individuals and organizations see the growing desire for cognitive expansion and enlightenment, and recognize the need for a conference of this type. Sophisticates, groundbreakers and vanguards need take note, and attend as many events as possible if they want to be a part of the community that shapes San Antonio’s tomorrow. Moreover, the record participation for the Fourth Annual DreamWeek Summit is a testament to just how fully San Antonio has embraced the conference.
DreamWeek runs from January 8-19 in downtown San Antonio. The summit kicks off with a keynote address by Martin Luther King, III at the Opening Ceremony Breakfast at the Jack Guenther Pavilion (7:30 a.m.).
All events schedules are available on dreamweek.org, as well as tickets to various events including the Opening Ceremony Breakfast. To share your voice, use the hashtag #DWSA2016 at any and all DreamWeek events!
DreamWeek founder and President Shokare Nakpodia believes that providing a voice to people with differing opinions is one of the most important tools in recognizing and resolving conflict.
And it’s why DreamWeek was created…….
SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio is a melting pot of cultures. An upcoming summit hopes to continue to promote diversity and equality within our city. It’s called DreamWeek. DreamVoice president, Shokare Nikori Nakpodia and Mary Nicole Bernal, the DreamWeek press liaison stopped by News 4 San Antonio’s Evening Break to talk about what events you and your family can attend. For more information, CLICK HERE.
Read More at: http://news4sanantonio.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/Dreamweek-2016-kicks-off-Jan-8—19-247846.shtml#.VovzvvHIOqw
Sho Nakpodia, creator of DreamWeek, is nothing if not an optimist. The San Antonio businessman and inspirer-in-chief has been guilty of lofty ideas, fanciful creativity and big thinking.
Like his hero Martin Luther King Jr., Nakpodia is a dreamer-doer. He came to San Antonio by way of several major world-class cities and has planted deep roots, embracing San Antonio as his new hometown. He’s determined to show the world what a model it is of tolerance, equality and diversity.
Those words are hard to live up to for any city, especially for San Antonio, whose public schools haven’t delivered graduates equally ready for college; where business development produces too many low-wage jobs; where access to health care is so uneven; and where unemployment is low but underemployment is high.
Nakpodia knows these difficult sociopolitical issues must be addressed. Still, for many, including Nakpodia, San Antonio continues — by virtue of a rich history and deep reservoir of cross-cultural cooperation or, at least, co-existence — to produce a way of living that’s worthy of sharing.
It may be hard to define what San Antonio possesses in tangible, empirical ways, but Nakpodia — perhaps because he’s from Nigeria by way of London and New York — says the city’s culture positions it in a unique way. DreamWeek, too. There’s evidence everywhere, even a takeout lunch of menudo he brought to his Sunset Station-area office to share with a Korean, a Colombian and another Nigerian. “And I didn’t have to go to South Side to get it. It’s not peculiar.”
At least not in San Antonio, where such cross-cultural experiences are common, and where they’re also a franchise.
“We’re discovering what our talent as a unique city is,” he says, and for him it’s how we resolve conflict. “We are a city that is peaceful in how we address issues. That is my take. It’s something that ties in with the traditions and history of this city. It’s ingrained within the culture. It’s something latent.”
Tolerance, equality and diversity are the three words guiding DreamWeek 2016, the fourth annual summit of events that culminate with the annual MLK march. The 12 days of DreamWeek follow nicely family celebrations of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year’s fireworks.
DreamWeek isn’t all about celebration, however. Beginning Friday, it will bring people together in thoughtful discussion (in a talk about building equitable neighborhoods), to tackle big problems (violence against women) and push San Antonio to the next level (realizing the dream of a world-class city).
DreamWeek will ask San Antonians to stretch their minds (neuroscience can help find your personal purpose) and body (chair yoga). It will honor those who inspire (champions of LGBT equality and inclusion), even in quiet ways (teaching us to build resilience in uncertain times).
In all, more than 150 events are planned with more than 100 diverse partners — from the Animal Defense League to My Brother’s Keeper and from the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts to the Zachry Corp. DreamWeek has been called a multicultural convergence, a marketplace of ideas and a series that spreads awareness and enlightenment.
And because San Antonio is San Antonio, great food, music, art and beverages will be had. Some events require admission fees, but most are free. It will kick off with a breakfast at the Briscoe Western Art Museum and a keynote speech by Martin Luther King III.
In its first three years, DreamVoice, the nonprofit group behind DreamWeek, sought to establish its brand.
“By year three, we thought we’d have 30 events, but we had something like 55 the first year,” Nakpodia said.
In the next three years, DreamVoice will begin to reach beyond San Antonio to entice cultural tourism to the city for DreamWeek. It will continue to bring San Antonians together in places they might not otherwise visit.
“That’s part of the solution,” Nakpodia says, “to get people to venture out of their own comfort zone.”
DreamVoice already has heard from British officials interested in providing speakers to DreamWeek 2017, he said. “A lot of this is going on,” he said.
This year, DreamVoice will publish its first book, “1005 Faces,” based on photographer Sarah Brooke Lyons’ popular portrait series featured at DreamWeek. DreamVoice will model other projects after this one, he says.
Nakpodia thinks visitors can be drawn to experience DreamWeek and the largest MLK march in the country; and they’ll see that our multicultural interaction and cooperation, however imperfect, isn’t a fashion.
“We’ve done it for many years,” he says. More importantly, our youth need to see it as their inheritance.
eayala@express-news.net
Twitter: @ElaineAyala
