JMers Honor the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

For members of embRACE (the JM Diversity & InclusionEmployee Resource Group focused on general race and culture), Martin LutherKing, Jr. Day was one of celebration, an opportunity to give thanks and a timeto express their dedication to ensuring that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dreamof equality for all becomes reality.

Members of the embRACE group walked inthe Dr.MartinLuther King, Jr. Colorado Holiday Commission’s“Marade” on January17.The annual Marade is the only event of itskind in thenation, bringingtogether as many as 90,000 people to
celebrate the lifeand impact of humanrights activist Dr. MartinLuther King, Jr. The firstMarade in Denver tookplace in 1986.
Today, it includes events such as awreath laying, a march/parade, andmore.You can learn moreabout the event .

On January 14th, a BusinessAwards luncheon is held by the Commission to recognize individuals,corporations and non-profit organizations for Celebrating Content ofCharacter. JM Account Specialist Dominique Davis has been volunteering forthis event alongside her mother (Deborah Kulas, Chief Reservationist) in thepast andpresented this event to the group for JM to participatein.“We purchased a table for the MLK Business Awards Luncheonthisyear! I thought the luncheon would be something really great for JMtoparticipate in. I have been volunteering on the day of the event forthe pastthree years now and that is how I was able to get JM involved. Itis anincredible event and a wonderful way to honor a man who was a
trailblazer forpeople like myself,” Dominique said. You can learn moreabout the luncheon .

In addition to these events, Dominique Davis and Steve Kondracki, HR Manager for Roofing Systems,invited a former federal prosecutor to have a conversation about race at ourJMTC location in Littleton, CO. Jason St. Julien, nowLead Counsel of Community Trust for Airbnb, spoke with20 JMers about transforming conversations about race as a tool to drive changeand improve diversity and inclusion at work and in the community.

“(Jason) is a fearless leaderand an individual who continues to have the tough conversations on race thatnot everyone in his power is made to have, and I think that is very important,”Dominique said.

Jason addressed the group by saying,“Whatbetter way to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. than to be able to have aconversation such as this? I’m committed to facilitating this conversation insuch a way that you and everyone else in here have some new thought, view,perspective or action to take, as it relates to race, that you did not havewhen you walked in here this morning.”

St. Julien, whopenneda in2020 in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, provided the group with tips on howto talk about race, particularly in the workplace – encouraging people tolisten with intent to understand, rather than to respond and to focus onconnecting as humans.

He further urged attendees tocontinue to have such crucial conversations in their communities and homes,adding, “I’d rather you blow it then to sit back and let your silence be seenas agreement.”

“People shared their ownexperiences with race-related fears, concerns and life experiences, and we leftwith a call to action,” noted Kondracki.“We hope that this is a catalystand that we’ll have more conversations and action items in the near future,” headded.

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