by Nathaniel Lee
n a world where the dreams envisioned by the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during his iconic “I Have a Dream speech” delivered in 1963 seem to be growing further from our lived reality in 2025, the members of The Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity, Inc. continue to fight to keep the dream alive.
On Sunday, January 12, 2025, community members responded to the call to join The Black Clergy during their Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Celebration at the Mount Airy Church of God In Christ, 6401 Ogontz Avenue, where Bishop J. Louis Felton is Senior Pastor.
The theme “Championing the Dream In a Nightmarish World” couldn’t have been more timely.
“Dr. King raised the bar and continues to be a legacy of other freedom fighters,” said Rev. Dr. Robert Charles Scott, Pastor of St. Paul Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, who delivered the sermon.
“His life and martyrdom have created a rippling impact on the social construct of this country and the collective consciousness of the globe, especially for hose who have been frustrated by American colonialism and devastated by Western imperialism.”
With American civil rights facing its greatest challenge and once again under attack by right-wing nationalists, King’s example couldn’t be needed any more than it is now.
“Unfortunately, in 2025, we have become a hyper-individualized, hyper-sexualized, hyper-politicized, hyper-mediatized society where we cannot take into consideration the influence and impact of collective community,” he said.
Among the audience were Councilwoman Cindy Bass, Senator Sharif Street, other elected officials, and District Attorney Larry Krasner, who was awarded the ‘I Have a Dream Legacy Award’ during the ceremony
“I am well aware that, had it not been for the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity, when I ran in 2017 and while I was in office, I would not be here,” said Krasner when he received his award.
Other recipients included Rev. Essie Boatwright of the nonprofit Women in Partnership with God; Mary Campbell, organizer of The National Day of Prayer; The Bynum Brothers (Benjamin and Robert Bynum) Philadelphia-based Restauranteurs; Rev. Carolyn C. Cavaness, Pastor of Mother Bethel AME Church; and Brian Jenkins, Executive Director of Chosen 300 Ministries, Inc.
“They have been selected because of their roles in ‘Championing the Dream in a Nightmarish World,’ read a statement released by the members of the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity.
Chosen 300 Ministries has grown from humble beginnings into what is now a global movement. “It started helping a homeless person after a play at the Merriam Theater, and we started passing out bagged lunches, and we kind of never stopped,” said Brian Jenkins, executive director.
“The organization has now grown to three regional locations, we do about 170,000 meals throughout the Philadelphia region, we have job training, computer labs, expungement services, and a barbershop,” Jenkins said.
“We also have a global operation. We have 24 locations around the world where we provide over 200 million pounds of food around the world.”
Bishop J. Louis Felton, President of the Black Clergy organization, stated, “Martin Luther King Jr. was the most important voice of the American civil rights movement, which worked for equal rights for all.”
Founded in 1980, “the mission of the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity is to unify African American Clergy grounded in Christian principles around issues of social, political, and economic justice.”
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