YWCA Greater Charleston announces 53rd Annual MLK Celebration
November 11, 2024
YWCA Greater Charleston Announces 2025 MLK Celebration Keynote Speakers
Beginning on January 16, 2025, South Carolinians will come together to celebrate Charleston’s 53rd Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration. Put on by YWCA Greater Charleston each year, the tribute—first held in 1972 as one of the first national tributes of its kind—is a multi-day event reigniting Dr. King’s dream of racial equality.
MLK BREAKFAST SUMMIT
The keynote speakers for two of the MLK Celebration’s most prominent events have been chosen and confirmed.
Kicking off the celebration will be the MLK Business and Professional Breakfast Summit, taking place from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 16, 2025, at the Charleston Gaillard Center in downtown Charleston.
Trevor Saunders will serve as the keynote speaker for the breakfast summit. A proud native of Johns Island, South Carolina, Trevor graduated from St. John’s High School before earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from Tuskegee University and an MBA from the University of North Alabama. Currently, he is the Vice President and General Manager of David J. Joseph, a Nucor Company, where he has built a remarkable career since joining in 2009. His journey began as an Electrical Engineer at Nucor Steel Berkeley, and he has since held various leadership positions across multiple Nucor businesses.
Trevor is not only dedicated to his professional endeavors but also deeply committed to his community. As an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi and the Cincinnati Alumni chapter, he has devoted years to mentoring underprivileged youth and college students in areas such as professional development, financial literacy, and career planning. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Tuskegee University’s business school.
Join in celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the contributions of individuals like Trevor Saunders to the community.
MLK ECUMENICAL SERVICE
The historic MLK Ecumenical Service, the longest-running event of the MLK Celebration, is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 19, at Charity Missionary Baptist Church, located at 1544 E. Montague Avenue in North Charleston. This service unites congregations from across the Charleston tri-county area. Rev. Nelson B. Rivers, III, pastor of Charity Missionary Baptist Church and Vice President of Religious Affairs and External Relations for the National Action Network, will preside over the event.
Keynote speaker Adam Shoemaker will address the congregation. Dr. Shoemaker has been serving as the Rector of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston since 2017. He currently holds several leadership positions, including Co-President of the Charleston Area Justice Ministry, President of the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina, and Co-Chair of the Diocese’s Racial Justice and Reconciliation Commission. He recently served as a member of the City of Charleston’s Human Affairs and Racial Conciliation Commission and has facilitated Racial Healing Circles for the Social Justice Racial Equity Collaborative of the Sophia Institute.
Dr. Shoemaker earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Boston University, a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School, a Diploma in Anglican Studies from the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church, and a Doctor of Ministry from Duke Divinity School.
Previously, he served as Rector of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter in Burlington, NC, and as Assistant Rector at Christ Church in Andover, MA. He has also worked as a missionary in the Episcopal/Anglican Diocese of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and speaks conversational Portuguese.
Guided by the scripture from Jeremiah 29:7—“Seek the welfare of the city where you find yourself, for in its welfare you will find your welfare”—Dr. Shoemaker is dedicated to helping St. Stephen’s fulfill its mission as “a house of prayer for all people,” emphasizing both inclusive hospitality and social justice initiatives beyond the parish.
MLK DAY PARADE
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday Parade will cap off the Celebration this year. Members of the public are invited to come out to cheer on the marching bands, parade floats, dancing groups, and others of the more than 100 groups in the parade. Beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, January 20, it will run from Burke High School in downtown Charleston down to Marion Square, turning east onto Calhoun Street.
