Sonoma State University's AmeriCorps program - Sonoma SERVES - kicks off a weekend of events honoring Dr. Martin Luther King as host of the seventh annual Martin Luther King Jr. Poetry Night, 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday. Jan. 13 in the Elsie Allen High School auditorium in Santa Rosa.
Children participating in Sonoma SERVES programs will read poetry, sing songs, and perform skits based on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s powerful message of non-violent social change. For children today, faced with growing gang violence, this message is all the more relevant, organizers say.
The event will commence with guest speaker Reverend James E. Coffee from the Community Baptist Church. Reverend Coffee marched with King and has been recognized for his contributions to human rights and community education throughout Sonoma County and beyond.
Sonoma SERVES is a program of the California Institute on Human Services at Sonoma State University whose mission is to connect the resources of the University to community need. Sonoma SERVES partners with local schools to involve college student AmeriCorps members in after school, family literacy, and reading tutoring programs. For further information, contact Julie McClure, Sonoma SERVES (707) 664-4232.
