2024 MLK Assembly Speaker Bios
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s activism embraced a diverse range of issues. Although widely recognized for his significant contributions to the advancement of race and color equality, Dr. King also dedicated himself to addressing the challenges and injustices faced by those economically marginalized.
Reflecting on Dr. King’s legacy, our commitment at Community Renewal Society extends to advocating for reparations and economic justice. We believe in these efforts as a means of acknowledging and providing restitution and healing for moral injury, addressing protracted trauma and cultural disinheritance.
On January 15, we hosted our virtual 2024 Annual Martin Luther King Faith in Action Assembly to celebrate Dr. King’s impact! Over 100 people joined us in honoring Dr. King and inspiring action against injustice. Access the recording of this event about being a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness with CRS and check out the bios for our assembly’s speakers below. You don’t want to miss their memorable messages connecting current social justice issues to Dr. King’s wisdom and civil rights work!
Eric Wilkins is a member of Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice and the founder of brokenwinggz Foundation, an organization that supports people who are paralyzed from gunshots, their families and the millions who want an end to gun violence. He was shot and paralyzed at the age of 28 years old.
Stacy Davis Gates is president of the Chicago Teachers Union and executive vice president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers. In 2019, she helped lead a 15-day strike and negotiate a historic contract that provides for smaller class sizes, ensures a nurse and social worker in every Chicago public school, secures sanctuary protections for immigrant families and supports students and families experiencing homelessness.
Omar Haramy is a combination of identities: Arab, Palestinian, Jerusalemite, Greek Orthodox and Christian. Since 2017, Omar has served as the Director of Sabeel, the center of Palestinian liberation theology. Sabeel is an ecumenical grassroots liberation theology movement among Palestinians to deepen the faith of Palestinian Christians, promote unity among them and lead them to act for justice and peace. Omar also serves on the Kairos Palestine steering committee.
Rev. Julian Deshazier serves as Director of Experiential Education program at McCormick Theological Seminary and is a national speaker, advocate and emcee. The Chicago native is also pastor of University Church Chicago – a sanctuary congregation for immigrants that also was instrumental in bringing a Level 1 Trauma Center to Chicago’s Southside community. He serves as the inaugural chair of the Community Advisory Council for The University of Chicago Medicine, is a regular contributor to the Christian Century and On Scripture publications and is a board member with Sojourners. In 2021, he was inducted into the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College Board of Preachers.
Rev. Dr. Marilyn Pagán-Banks has served as Executive Director of A Just Harvest since October 2002. She was instrumental in leading A Just Harvest through a growth period whereby the organization added advocacy and economic development programming targeting the root causes of hunger. She is an ordained pastor in the United Church of Christ and a resident of Chicago. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor with McCormick Theological Seminary and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and is a joyful contributor of Words of Her Mouth: Psalms for the Struggle.
Alderwoman Maria Hadden is the first Black, queer woman elected to Chicago City Council. She is focused on creating a vision and plan for Chicago's future and is a voice of reason. Before becoming Alderwoman, she was the Executive Director of Our City Our Voice and before launching her own organization, she was a founding board member of the Participatory Budgeting Project. She serves on the board of directors for Voqal Partners, a philanthropic organization that uses technology and media to build an educated, empowered and engaged public. She formerly served on the board for Black Youth Project 100.
Brother Laurence Steven Minter is a spoken word artist from the Southside of Chicago who graduated from Cornell University and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Poetry is his vehicle for testimony, social change and liberation. He is eager to support efforts that center around art, education and storytelling and continues to be an active member of CRS member congregation Trinity United Church of Christ.