January 16, 2024

City comes together for annual unity breakfast honoring Martin Luther King Jr.

Area residents, city leaders and special guest speakers alike put words into action Monday morning during the 36th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Celebration. On the holiday honoring King’s legacy, those gathered at the Rocky Mount Event Center were focused squarely on bringing people together. The keynote address following the unity breakfast showed how the slain civil rights leader’s work transcended racial equality and was used as a model to remove the barriers which separate disabled Americans from society.

In his welcome to the well-attended breakfast and celebration of the life of King, Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson focused his comments on what the city has accomplished when everyone works together.

“Rocky Mount has made strides that will benefit each of us,” Roberson said. “We have a focus on affordable housing, building up downtown, supporting local businesses and, with help from Carolinas Gateway (Partnership), fielding inquiries from companies interested in building near the intermodal, bringing thousands of jobs and opportunities to Rocky Mount.”

The CSX intermodal facility, which is also called the Carolina Connector, is just east of N.C. Wesleyan University. It is a place for freight trains to arrive, with the freight to be off-loaded onto other trains or trucks for distribution.

Roberson challenged city residents to continue working together on what is right for the city.

“Martin Luther King Jr. once said, ‘The time is always right to do the right thing.’ For Rocky Mount, the time is right, right now,” Roberson said. “Together, let’s continue to work as a team to make our community a better place and, together, be one Rocky Mount.”