January 21, 2010, TAMPA BAY, FLORIDA - Hundreds of people of diverse backgrounds, ethnicities and races gathered at the historic Tampa Theater in honor of Black Heritage Week, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his concepts of non-violence and equality. But remembering the milestones to equality in America was only half of the celebration. The real focus was on keeping that hard fought freedom going by passing the torch to America’s youth.

“Passing the Torch to America’s Youth”, an emotional and effective movie that relayed the real life stories of Selma, Alabama, an event that changed equality in America forever, was shown on the big screen. High school senior Dustin McGahee, President of Youth for Human Rights Florida, said “I’ve read about these events in books, but I got a different viewpoint when I heard the stories of the people who experienced the marches first hand, the people that got knocked down and stood up again to face their attackers, the people who changed America.”

Keynote speaker was Dr.Bernard Lafayette, a Civil Rights Movement activist, minister, educator, lecturer, and an authority on the strategy of nonviolent social change. Having worked side by side with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Dr. Lafayette participated on the Freedom Rides of 1961 and the 1965 Selma Movement, and is still working today for non-violent social change.

Led by Dr. Lafayette, the night ended with the passing of the torch ceremony as the torch went from those who marched for freedom in Selma, Alabama, to those who will carry the struggle and torch of freedom into the next generation. Those who now bear the responsibility are Femi Kennedy, Dustin McGahee and Ebony Love, a few select youth who are working to make a difference for equality.

The ceremony was a representation of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as he said, “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.” These youth will work to carry on the responsibilities and struggles of equality and non-discrimination for all.

Femi Kennedy is Founder and CEO of Abel’s Community Services, Inc. a non-profit organization to reduce violence by teaching the Dr. Martin Luther King's nonviolence principles and steps to nonviolence reconciliation to individuals throughout Hillsborough County. Mr. Kennedy says his motto is: A man's strength is not measured by how easily he can knock another off their feet, rather how successful he is at standing on his own two.

Dustin McGahee is President of Youth for Human Rights Florida, a non-profit organization, secular organization that teaches The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, both in and out of the classroom. McGahee became involved in educating others of their human rights as he is inspired to action by the words of humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard, “Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream.”

For more information on Abel’s Community Services go to: www.abelscommunityservices.org
For more information on Youth for Human Rights and free DVD downloads on the 30 human rights go to: www.youthforhumanrights.org To contact Youth for Human Rights Florida contact: dustin-AT-youthforhumanrightsflorida.org.
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