Golden Valley Volunteers Make Sweet Tribute to MLK
Monday was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Some enjoyed the holiday as a day off from work. Others like Rose McGee used the day as a time to reflect and volunteer.
Five years ago, McGee starting making sweet potato pies to bring comfort during a trying time in U.S. history.
“This event started five years ago right around the time that Ferguson, Missouri was having some issues,” said McGee. “I decided to take some pies down just to help comfort people. What I discovered was people were very receptive to receiving the sweet potato pies. I also learned they wanted to be listened to respectfully. Coming back I thought we need to do this at home.”
Rose worked with Golden Valley Mayor Shep Harris to the get the event off the ground. Today volunteers bake sweet potato pies to honor Dr. Martin Luther King every year at Calvary Lutheran Church in Golden Valley.
“With each pie we bake, with each baking session, with each community event and with each pie delivery, we are sharing and connection through story,” said Kate Towle, who helped organize the event.
Baking Raises Respect for Others
Respect for other people’s differences and a compassionate ear are something organizers hope volunteers will take away.
“I just see that people are different,” says Jadea Washington, a volunteer. “We have different identities and for so long I think we have focused on those differences being negative. Now I think here we are able to talk about how they are positive differences. Bringing those assets and difference in identity together. That’s the strongest part of this and I think that’s how we are going to make true change going forward.”
After volunteers baked the pies, they were delivered to the Brookview Community Center in Golden Valley for an event on Sunday. People ate the pie as a part of a program dedicating to honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“We hope they take away a better understanding of how to be empathetic,” added McGee. “I want people to learn how to listen to each other respectfully and how to really understand that everybody’s story is important and is valuable.
This year volunteers made 90 pies in honor of Dr. King who was born 90 years ago on Jan. 15, 1929.
