MLK Unity Breakfast celebrates student voices in Champaign County

URBANA, Ill. (WAND) — The legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the power of unity were on full display Monday morning as community leaders, students, and families gathered for the annual MLK Unity Breakfast at Vineyard Church.

The event honored Dr. King’s message while celebrating the next generation of leaders through scholarships awarded to local students. James Wright, pastor of Sheriff Temple AOH Church of God in Champaign and president of the MLK Advocacy for Justice Committee, said the morning was deeply emotional as students shared essays about perseverance, leadership, and service.

“This morning was quite emotional,” Wright said. “Today we celebrated not only Dr. Martin Luther King, and Dr. Claude Shelby, who began this work 40 years ago, but we also celebrated these young people and their achievements.”

Wright said hearing students connect personally with Dr. King’s message showed that the Civil Rights leader's dream continues to resonate in new ways.

“I think this message lets us know that the dream lives on,” Wright said. “These young people have a voice, and it may not be the same tone or sound that generations before us had, but they have a voice, and it will be heard.”

Throughout the event, speakers emphasized the importance of unity and the need to come together despite differences. Wright said true unity means focusing on what each person can contribute to the broader community.

“Many times it means to put our differences aside,” Wright said. “To be the beloved community, to show that I have something I can bring to the table. It has to open up to our neighbors and our neighborhoods, and it has to take all of us to encourage these young people.”

This year, ten students received scholarships, with two additional students named alternates. Each scholarship provides $1,000 per year, split by semester, for up to four years. Wright said students who attend the University of Illinois receive an added boost, as the university matches the scholarship funds.

Beyond financial support, Wright said scholarship recipients are encouraged to serve as role models for younger students.

“They have the award in hand, and now it takes them going back to encourage their peers,” Wright said. “They can have more of an effect on their peers than we ever could, and that’s what’s going to change the trajectory of our young people.”

Community leaders from across Champaign-Urbana, including elected officials, law enforcement, and faith leaders, attended the breakfast, underscoring the event’s message of collective responsibility.

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