'Commit to love one another': MLK Celebration Dinner speaker: Helping one another is way to strengthen community

This story has been updated.

Wednesday's annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Dinner mixed a theme of "CommUNITY: Justice. Equity. Love," with a challenge from the keynote speaker to look within for answers to today's challenges.

Judge Brian S. Miller keynoted this year's celebration at the Show Me Center on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University. He spoke via videoconference, noting a recent COVID-19 diagnosis.

Miller, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, is a judge in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, serving as chief judge from 2012 to 2019. Prior to his federal service, he was an associate judge on the Arkansas Court of Appeals.

He told the hundreds of attendees of his Arkansas Delta ancestors, progressing from his great-grandfather being born a slave to his grandfather becoming a doctor to his father serving as his hometown's first Black mayor.

Soloist Peighton Robinson, right, and her mother, Ramona Bailey, who accompanied her on piano, walk away from the stage after performing at Wednesday's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Dinner, hosted by Southeast Missouri State University. The duo presented a musical version of The Lord's Prayer.Rick Fahr ~ rfahr@semissourian.com

He noted his involvement over the years with various organizations and programs geared toward eliminating poverty and promoting equity. He lamented that those programs often fail, a realization that slowly came to him. He recounted seeing Blacks in his hometown gain political, economic and educational power while community issues such as violence, drug use and poverty remained or worsened.

"After 55 years, I finally figured out one thing for me: No outside source is going to solve the problems of my community. It's just not going to happen," he said. "There is no law that is going to be passed that is going to end all racism or solve all problems and despair in my community."

Instead, he encouraged attendees to do what they can as individuals.

"Tonight's theme is 'CommUNITY: Justice. Equity. Love,' and I suggest to you that the way to community, the way to justice, the way to equity, the way to show our love for one another is for each one of us -- as well as myself -- each one of us must look inward and commit to love one another, to feed the hungry ourselves and, yes, clothe the naked," he said.

SEMO president Carlos Vargas focused his comments on one aspect of the night's theme, quoting the civil rights leader.

"He once said, 'I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear,'" Vargas noted. "And I agree with that. Love, giving, respect and engaging with your community, that is how you change hearts and minds. That is the way you move forward jointly and positively with others."

The university began hosting the event in 2006, and the featured speaker at the inaugural celebration was Martin Luther King III.