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"Better Together" is the theme of this year's Dream Week scheduled in the midst of a pandemic which is resulting in most of the events that are planned, to be held safely and apart in the virtual realm.
A joint effort of Pennsylvania College of Technology, Lycoming College, STEP AmeriCorps and the Beloved Community Council in Williamsport, the week offers online events as well as ways in which individuals, on their own, can honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose birthday is celebrated as a national holiday on Jan. 18.
"When I read about him, he talks about a beloved community and what that would look like," said Brittany Terre-Blanche, AmeriCorps program manager and one of the organizers of the event.
"In order to create that, we needed to find common ground and come together and have peace," Terre-Blanche added.
Co-organizer of the event, Sammie Davis, coordinator of diversity and community engagement at Penn College agreed with Terre-Blanche. "I think that focusing on better together, (and) really us knowing that there are strengths in numbers."
"You know, we need to be a strong community of Williamsport," Davis continued, "to really elevate voices and bring people's voices to the forefront, that maybe have not been heard before … we can't continue to silence people. We can't continue to ignore the voices of marginalized identities."
The week, traditionally, has included a peace walk, which this year will not be an in-person event. The walk will still be held on Monday, to kick off the week, but it's going to be virtual.
"A couple of BCC members will be gathering in person -- a very small group -- and livestreaming our walk,"
"We're going to be encouraging people to walk on their own, either along with us that day or another time in the week," Davis said.
Prior to the walk, Raphael Mnkandhla, pastor of City Church, will speak virtually.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the American Red Cross will be hosting a blood drive at Penn College. The blood drive will also support the college's THON, a student organization that participates in the annual THON fundraising event at Penn State. Advance appointments are needed to donate blood.
Davis said that BCC members will be volunteering at the blood drive and also providing food donations for people donating blood.
"We're really encouraging folks to sign up and give blood. It's so needed right now," she added.
Thursday will feature a virtual speaking event with April Reign, creator of the viral hashtag-turned-movement, #OscarsSoWhite. Since 2015, Reign has been challenging the lack of representation of marginalized communities in the entertainment industry. Reign's talk will be presented via ZOOM.
Another part of Dream Week is members of the community coming together to work on a large service project. This year this had to be tailored to the restrictions of the current health crisis and downsized to individual acts of service.
Throughout the week, people are being encouraged to make donations to local non-profits as well as considering ways to do a contactless or virtual good deed, according to Terre-Blanche.
A list of those organizations and their specific needs will be posted on the STEP AmeriCorps Facebook page.
"We do a service project together but due to COVID restrictions, we can't do that, so we're hoping that this is a really great way that people can come together, especially in these time, to build that community together and talk about finding solutions," Terre-Blanche said.
"More than anything we need to embody what he (King) was about. We need to move forward in peace and seek each other out to be intentional to find a common groung sot hat we can create a better future for generations to come and for our community," she added.
Davis also summarized the focus of the week by adding, "And, just trying to say hey, these are our neighbors, this is what's needed. Can you support the mission of Martin Luther King Jr. and help one another this week."
Links to the virtual events will be posted on the STEP AmeriCorps Facebook page.