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4th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Celebration

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IMPORTANT PROGRAM NOTE: This event has been moved to a virtual format (Zoom) due to safety concerns related to the current COVID-10 surge. The online event was originally advertised as 9:30-11am. HOWEVER, in order to include the many important elements of the program, we have extended the time to 9:30-11:15am. We apologize for any inconvenience.

This year’s theme is “Transforming Fear With Love: Building Community through Conversation and Connection” and will feature a keynote address by Dr. “Bowtie” Todd Jenkins, music by Westborough High School’s very own Don’t Panic, appearances by local leaders, Creative Project Winner Presentations, and facilitated conversation circles. 

Dr. Todd Jenkins (aka Dr. Bowtie) is the Founder and CEO of Bowtie Leadership and Development, Inc., a global leadership management training and coaching firm with a focus on bringing diverse people together to increase individual or organizational productivity and performance.

Dr. Jenkins is a certified Leadership Management International Facilitator, Coach and Speaker with more than 10 years of training and development, leadership development, and diversity and inclusion work experience. He is an award-winning chief diversity and inclusion executive, trainer and strategist.

Attendees ages 12 and older will have an opportunity to participate in small-group facilitated conversations hosted by Central MA Connections in Faith through the Zoom Breakout Room feature during the latter half of the program. Through thoughtful and guided prompts, participants will be led through a reflective process in which we will try to answer the question, “What can we as a community do to transform fear into love?”

Register HERE for the virtual portion of this event. The keynote presentation will be broadcast via Westborough TV channels (cable and YouTube). This event is free and open to all ages.

At 1pm, children and their parents or caregivers are invited to participate in a live, in-person, COVID-safe, storytelling of the story, “My Name is Sangoel” written by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed and illustrated by Catherine Stock outdoors on the grounds of Westborough High School. The book will be brought to life through a StoryWalk® display and live storytelling by community member, Nuray Wallace. This portion of the event is outside and participants are encouraged to socially distance and wear masks. Advance registration is not required to attend children’s storytelling activity,

This annual event is co-hosted by Westborough Interfaith Clergy, Westborough Public Schools, Central MA Connections in Faith and Westborough Connects. Partial grant funding provided by Framingham State University.