John McIntire Library: Celebrating Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – A group gathered Sunday at the John McIntire Library to celebrate the legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

There was singing from the City-wide Singspiration and a prayer.

Deputy Director of Public Affairs for the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Jamie Lynn Carmichael spoke at the event.

“Today was a really opportunity to stop and pause and think about the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King [Jr.] and bring people together for an example of unity and remembrance.”

Carmichael says we need to start seeing each other as human beings instead of the labels we’re assigned.

“It’s about moving beyond the labels we give one another and labels make us comfortable — it helps us understand who we are. It’s part of our identity and we can label other people but the reality is — you know — we’re all part of one body. We — if something bad is happening to you, it does impact me. We have to start to see that we’re all connected.”

She suggests to feel more connected to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable. Some examples include volunteering for a suicide hotline or listening to a different point of view without feeling the need to change it.