Over
the next couple of weeks, Indiana AmeriCorps will be featuring stories about
some of the events that took place in our AmeriCorps programs surrounding the
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. The first of these is from Public
Allies Indianapolis and their MLK Day project centered on Waddie Welcome and
his story of inclusion.
Public
Allies Indianapolis
The Day of Service Project provided a venue
for community members to come together to hear a story of inclusion, reflect on
its meaning, and discuss how they might live out Dr. King’s vision of a beloved
community.
Community members attended a three part
program in the afternoon. Participants in recent Race Relations
Dialogue-to-Change Circles shared their reflections and action steps.
All attendees listened to a dramatic
reading of the story of Waddie Welcome and the Beloved Community. Born on the 4th of July, 1914 in Savannah, GA
with a disability and placed in a nursing home far from his community, Waddie
Welcome was an unlikely public figure. His deep desire for freedom drew many
friends into his life in ways that not only liberated him from
institutionalization but realized Dr King’s vision of the Beloved Community.
Waddie Welcome and the Beloved Community tells the story of friendships that
transcended divisions of disability, race, and income & created powerful
new possibilities in a whole community. (from the Waddie Welcome website www.waddiewelcome.com)
Monica
Davis – Public Ally & LeaderCorps Member had this to say:
“What an exciting day!” That was what
I was thinking as I emerged from my vehicle, and walked up to the building
where we had our service activities. Since I am an AmeriCorps Public Ally, I
happily accepted my duties of providing service to the local community on Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, in January of 2012. I am also a part of the Indiana
AmeriCorps LeaderCorps program and it was even more awesome when a fellow
LeaderCorps member joined me for the project. At first, we spent
our day by canvassing and sharing information about the Mid-North side of
Indianapolis Quality of Life Plan. I was able to speak directly with
residents and community members about this strategy for making their
neighborhood an even better place to live.
After canvassing, we came back together for
a luncheon where we were able to relax and connect with each other. Then,
we headed over to a discussion and reading of the book, “Waddie Welcome,” with
more local neighbors. First we started off with a story of Waddie
Welcome, who was a community member who fought for freedom and understanding.
The story was a great example of how to be inclusive of all people.
The community around him was so supportive, and mirrored Dr. King’s dream of
the “Beloved Community,” which he referred to often in his speeches.
After listening to the reading of the story, we formed small discussion groups
in order to discover exactly how it related to Dr. King’s dream. The day was
very productive, as we learned new ways to include others. That is what
is so great about AmeriCorps - providing service to all of humanity is what it
is really about!
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more information:
