By Hannah Minnick
RED BANK – The T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center, in partnership with the Two River Theater, honored the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a community discussion Jan. 10, “In the Words of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King: Where Do We Go from Here?”
The event featured a keynote address by guest speaker Arron X. Smith, Ph.D., a Temple University professor. In a reflection of King’s final book, “Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?” published a year before his assassination in 1968, the event also featured presentations by young people. There were musical performances by Jeffery Boga, strings director at Red Bank Regional High School, and presentations from the Ranney School Diversity Club, the Fortune Tellers Youth Program and the New Jersey Orators.
Complimentary copies of King’s book were given to the first 50 attendees of the free event.
As audience members took their seats, the words from King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech played overhead, creating an immersive experience and reinforcing the theater’s role in creating space for community dialogue, a mission underscored by Nora DeVeau-Rosen, Two River Theater managing director.
“Theater has historically been a place in society for civic engagement, and I think this night was the epitome of that. It serves as a bridge between different dialogues and communities,” DeVeau-Rosen said.
“This event was about how we come together and understand each other more, so that we can have a more thriving community.”
Opening remarks from Gilda Rogers, executive director of the T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center, set the tone for the evening, noting that this month is King’s birthday. He was born Jan. 15, 1929, and was assassinated April 4, 1968. The federal holiday honoring King is Jan. 19 this year.
“As a community, we choose to observe it with reverence,” Rogers said.
“The chaos that befalls us in this moment we can counter by being a community that passes on the values of love, compassion and kindness to our children and grandchildren, so that not only are they continuing to live out Dr. King’s legacy, they, too, will know the beauty of community.”
Rogers, an award-winning journalist, author, playwright and educator, was a leader in the grassroots effort to save and preserve the former home of pioneering civil rights activist and newspaper publisher Timothy Thomas Fortune. His one-time home is now a designated National Historic Landmark and center for civil rights education in Red Bank.
The program continued with a memorable address from New Jersey Orator Malese Abrams of the nonprofit organization’s Union Chapter. Her remarks, connecting King’s call for “an all-out war on poverty” to present-day global hunger and economic inequality, received a standing ovation from the audience.
“I challenge everyone to act now. Remain vigilant, because when nations help one another, hunger becomes hope and poverty becomes possibility,” Abrams said.
The Ranney School Diversity Club’s “Words Have Power” presentation examined how language can reinforce prejudice or foster understanding between diverse communities, drawing on the students’ personal experiences. Members of the Fortune Tellers Youth Program followed, citing passages from King’s book, connecting his principles to the nation’s ongoing racial inequalities and the importance of community engagement.
After the presentations, the atmosphere shifted as the evening’s guest speaker took the stage.
Often referred to as the “rapping professor,” Smith opened with a short rap performance before drawing on pivotal moments in civil rights history to emphasize civic responsibility, perseverance amid hardship and the importance of carrying out King’s mission through everyday acts of kindness.
“It helps to laugh and to smile. We have so much going on that is a reason to cry and frown and be angry… but you have to take a break, because you could burn out. Don’t crash out, crash ceilings,” said Smith, who energized the audience.
The evening concluded with a Q&A session, during which Smith took several questions from young audience members whose eager participation, above all else, made the event “a triumph,” according to DeVeau-Rosen.
“What resonated in the room was how much the future matters, and how much hope and inspiration there is for the future and future generations. Those kids were so inspiring,” she said.
“To see them stand up and say what they believe, in a room of 100-plus strangers, was remarkable.”
The article originally appeared in the January 15 – 21, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
