Ambassador Andrew Young commemorates Dr. King’s legacy at YMCA Inspirational Breakfast

Ambassador Andrew Young commemorates Dr. King’s legacy at YMCA Inspirational Breakfast

YMCA of Broward County hosts inspirational breakfast and Day of Service on MLK Holiday Weekend

     Each year in January, the YMCA of Broward County brings more than 500 business and civic leaders together to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., encouraging the community to “Stand for Something” with a motivational breakfast and a Day of Service. With the support of sponsor JM Family Enterprises, the YMCA of Broward County’s Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Inspirational Breakfast celebrates its 10th Anniversary with nationally acclaimed guest speaker, Ambassador Andrew Young.

    On Thursday, Jan. 17 at 7:30 a.m. at the First Baptist Church Fort Lauderdale, 301 E. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Young will share his experiences confronting segregation with Dr. King, galvanizing a movement that transformed a nation through non-violence. Young was a key strategist and negotiator during the Civil Rights Campaigns in Birmingham and Selma that resulted in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

    Ambassador Young grew up in a segregated neighborhood in New Orleans where he and his brother spent much of their time at the Dryades YMCA, a branch committed to serving the inner city community through education and character-building programs. The branch director ran programs that emphasized the accomplishments of African Americans as well as a connection with Africa in order to inspire young people to achieve. “Everything I know about how to live in this world, I learned at the Dryades YMCA,” says Young.

    “We’re extremely pleased to have Andrew Young as this year’s speaker, especially following Martin Luther King, III last year,” says Sheryl Woods, president and CEO of the YMCA of Broward County. “The Y has a long and rich history and connection to Ambassador Young, to Dr. King, and to the civil rights movement. Dr. King and his family were members of the Butler Street YMCA, and at last year’s event, Martin Luther King, III shared child-hood memories of running around the Y with his father.”

    She adds, “During the Civil Rights Movement, the Butler Street YMCA in Atlanta was one of the few places Dr. King, Andrew Young, Vernon Jordan and other notable civil rights leaders could meet with white civic leaders in their efforts to desegregate the city.”

Then on Monday, Jan. 20, the King Holiday, YMCAs all over Broward County continue to commemorate the legacy of Dr. King with a Day of Service sponsored by FPL. The Y invites the community to join them at ten sites throughout Broward County where volunteers will “Stand for Something” as they take part in service projects and give back to their neighbors.

“Like the Y, FPL believes in giving back to its communities,” said YMCA Day of Service Chair Juliet Roulhac, regional manager of External Affairs at FPL. “Through the YMCA Day of Service, we have an opportunity to do just that. FPL encourages its employees and other volunteers to make a difference in our community through these service projects.”

For additional information or to volunteer, contact your lo-cal YMCA or email srobocker@ymcabroward.org. Visit ymcabroward.org to find out more.