Students representing CAAP, Cultural Awareness at Portsmouth Abbey, prepared a special presentation for the School community on Monday, January 16, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., slain U.S. civil rights leader and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Student leaders Diane Greg-Uanseru '17, Lauryn Harper '18 (pictured left), and Kelila Ross '18 were joined by fellow CAAP participants Dom Cappadona '17, Andrew Fonts '17, Camille Holley '20, Jamarya Jackson '20, Soren Jarabelo '19, Julia Lamarre '19, Ali Vergara '17 and Helen Wittenborn '17 in reading statistics about advances in civil rights over the past decades. Diane read her original piece beginning, "I don't want to write about race anymore. Why do I have to care?" She invoked Dr. King's iconic "I Have a Dream" speech and concluded, "I know I'm not done. I wish I were done, but I'm not. No one is – not me, not you."
Kelila Ross read "Mother to Son" by 20th-century poet and playwright Langston Hughes, followed by Diane, who sang, "I Know Where I've Been," (music: Marc Shaiman/lyrics: Scott Wittman) made popular by Queen Latifah.
"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope."
– Martin Luther King, Jr.
View excerpts from the assembly: