GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — The sound of music echoes throughout Breck School in Golden Valley, where dozens of people are commemorating Sweet Potato Comfort Pie's ninth-annual event in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"We started this project in 2014, after the killing of young Mike Brown in Ferguson, I just wanted to do something, drove down with 30 pies in my car, and realized we needed to do something broader with this at home," said Founder and President of Sweet Potato Comfort Pie, Rose McGee. "We started making the number of pies that Dr. King's age would be."
McGee discovered the power of the pie to spark conversations within the community.
"For people to understand how to move into action in what that legacy of his is, and the whole thing about the beloved community," she said.
For the past three years, the organization collaborated with Breck School. "It was an opportunity for us to have the conversations she's been having in the community," said Frederique Schmidt, community engagement department chair at the school.
The event was accompanied by the unveiling of five new portraits in the Sweet Potato Comfort Pie photo exhibit, Character Values: Upholding Our Beloved Community.
The project began in 2021 and features community heroes. Each community hero is featured in a photographic portrait as well as a biographical poem. The five new portraits include Wokie Weah, founder of Youthprise; Sharon Day, indigenous-rights activist; Melvin Giles, longtime community activist; Larry Johnson and Elaine Wynne, storytellers; and Nothando and Vusumuzi Zulu, co-founders of the Black Storytellers Alliance.
There will also be a procession of 94 pies marking the age Dr. King would be today. The keynote speaker is Dr. Ella Gates-Mahmoud, president/CEO of Seed Inc.
It's the first time the event is being held in person following the pandemic.
"We moved everything online for the last two years," said Schmidt.
The University of Minnesota also held its 42nd Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Concert today, with reflections and performances from U of M students and the greater Twin Cities community.
Monday, for the annual MLK, Jr. Day of Service, several events are taking place, including a tribute to Dr. King's life and legacy at several Minneapolis park locations throughout the day.
While McGee is looking forward to celebrating the 10th anniversary next year, she's asking everyone to look toward community and the power of food, community, and conversations.
"Because when many of us marched in sub-zero temperatures in Minnesota, we didn't do it with the intent of OK, when this is a holiday, I'm just going to take off and go skiing or something, it's a time to reflect," said McGee.
"We can't solve community issues we are facing if we're not in community together," said Schmidt.
For a full list of events taking place for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, visit the link here.
For more information about Sweet Potato Comfort Pie, visit the website here.
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