By Donald Gilpin

Bernice A. King

Bernice A. King, youngest daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King and CEO of The King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, will be the featured speaker at “A Transformative Evening,” hosted by the Princeton Senior Resource Center (PSRC) on October 16 at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom.

“We’re excited to feature Dr. Bernice King this year,” said PSRC CEO Drew Dyson. “Much of her work has been focused on carrying out the legacy of her parents, who both were extraordinary leaders in the civil rights movement, and, in the case of Coretta, in the many years following her husband’s assassination.”

Dyson described Bernice King as “a global thought leader in issues of justice, inclusion, and equity.”  He expressed the hope that the event would spark a wider community conversation focused on the issues of racial justice and equity that King presents.

He continued, “We are at a critical place in the life of our community as it relates to racial justice, diversity, inclusion, and equity. Dr. King brings a voice that’s important not only for carrying out the legacy of her parents, but also in her own rights as a thought leader, moving society towards a more just and equitable future.”

The King Center was founded in Atlanta in 1968 by Coretta Scott King. In 1981 the organization’s headquarters were moved into the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site facility, which includes King’s birth home; the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he preached from 1960 to 1968; and the gravesites of Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife.  Bernice King became the CEO of The King Center in 2012.

Under her leadership, the center has educated youth and adults around the world about the nonviolent principles modeled by her parents, implementing initiatives such as the annual Camp N.O.W. Leadership Academy, Nonviolence365 Trainings, and The Beloved Community Talks.

This PSRC fundraising event, which is held annually, will include a pay-it-forward ticket level this year, Dyson pointed out, which will enable the PSRC to invite special guests from a diverse group of community partners including the Witherspoon-Jackson Historical and Cultural Society, the Civil Rights Commission, the Corner House Youth Leadership Program, Send Hunger Packing, Every Child Valued, and student leaders from Princeton High School and Lawrence High School.

“We’re inviting people in the community to purchase a ticket, not only to support PSRC and to attend the event themselves, but also in the pay-it-forward tickets we’re partnering with community organizations to provide access to the event for local leaders and students who might not otherwise attend,” said Dyson.

He added, “It is a goal for PSRC to move forward with more diversity, equity, and inclusion, and also a larger community conversation — and to make this an intergenerational event, so that students and older adults can come together to hear from and interact with this great leader.”

Tickets for the virtual event are available for $60 at princetonsenior.org or by calling (609) 751-9699. Closed captioning will be available. For further information and ticket event sponsorship information contact Lisa Adler, chief development officer, at ladler@princetonsenior.org. There will be a VIP virtual reception with King from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. preceding the 7:30 event. Proceeds from this event will benefit ongoing programs and support guidance services at the PSRC.

The PSRC, their press release notes, is “a community nonprofit where aging adults and their families find support, guidance, education, and social programs to help them navigate life transitions and continue to be active, healthy, and engaged in the community.”