WAILUKU — The light of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., one of the most influential leaders of the civil rights movement who advocated for equality and peace, will live on through “aloha love” in the Valley Isle.  

“The pioneering work of Dr. King demonstrated that Kingian Nonviolence is the sustainable solution to injustice and violence in our world today, ultimately leading to the creation of the beloved community, when injustice ceases and aloha love prevails,” said Ayin Adams of the African Americans on Maui Association Monday morning outside the Kalana O Maui building in Wailuku.

Due to ongoing concerns of COVID-19, only about 20 people, including members of the association, county officials and religious groups, gathered at the county building to take part in a lei ceremony, prayer and a proclamation reading in honor of King, the slain civil rights leader. Each year the U.S. observes the holiday on the third Monday in January.

The annual Peace March that usually draws hundreds to Central Maui will resume next year. 

In keeping King’s values strong, the African Americans on Maui Association continues to strive for righteousness and peace, Adams said. The primary mission of the association is to enlighten and inform communities across Hawaii and the globe about the history, culture, contributions and experiences of people of African descent.  

“We stand here today, we are the leaders of today,” she said. “We are serving as the vital, living memorial of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” 

In Maui Mayor Richard Bissen’s absence, Managing Director Keku Akana read a proclamation fronting the MLK Stone of Hope monument, proclaiming Monday as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day throughout Maui County. The proclamation also spoke about King’s devotion and sacrifices for peace and equality.

The proclamation also acknowledged cultural diversity in Hawaii and how AAOMA is at the forefront of bringing Maui County communities together. 

Akana also shared how he was sitting in the living room of his childhood home in Iao Valley when news broke about King’s assassination in 1968. He remembers his mother’s devastation. 

“I remember there were a lot of tears in our house,” he said. “It stunned all of us in our house … It was a memorable day for a 9 or 10-year-old.” 

The Stone of Hope monument, the only one of its kind in the state, was dedicated in 2006 in memory of the life and legacy of Dr. King. As done for the past several years, Sharon Nohara of the Maui United Buddhist Women’s Association adorned the monument with lei on Monday.

“Much of Dr. King’s teachings resonate deeply within the Buddhist community, the principles and values that we also share,” Nohara said. “Let’s not use our words and actions to continue to contribute to the pain and suffering of others, but rather make an effort to be kinder and more caring as we live together with respect and purpose.”

Maui attorney and social worker Leslee Matthews, who opened her new Speak Out and Up law firm on Monday, which is dedicated to serve underserved people and communities, also spoke at the small ceremony.

“I just want to say what a special day today is, being a Maui girl, growing up here and being able to be connected to everyone here in service as we practice nonviolence, as we support the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, as we make sure that people everywhere have three meals a day to eat, that they have culture for their minds and dignity for their spirit,” Matthews said. 

Later Monday morning, the African Americans on Maui Association hosted a virtual Peace and Non-Violence Movement event that included keynote speeches, prayers, poems, and songs. 

Association board member Bryant Neal also read King’s notable and powerful 1963 “I Have a Dream” public speech that called for economic and civil justice, and the end to racism. 

Hawaii poet and publisher Kathryn Takara said that King was “a dreamer, a  visionary.” He inspired landmark legislation, like the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, and was the driving force behind watershed events, such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the 1963 March on Washington. 

“He believed that we should treat each other as brothers and sisters,” Takara said. “He was dedicated to his struggles for justice and equality.”

* Dakota Grossman can be reached at dgrossman@mauinews.com.