by Alisa Muhammad
PHOENIX—Muhammad Mosque No. 32 held a special community panel discussion, where faith and community leaders joined together to discuss the impact of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “mountaintop” moment and what the unfinished work toward justice and responsibility looks like today.
The panel discussion held Jan. 17, during the King holiday weekend, was moderated by Brother Tremikus Muhammad, a student in the ministry class of Mosque No. 32.
The panel included Student Minister Abdul Halim Muhammad of Mosque No. 32, Cordero Holmes, Richard Crews, Tonya Norwood, Zoe Sarabo, Bilal Munir Rahim, and Dr. Miriam Araya. Sister Arian Nicole Muhammad, an artist and musician, also performed during the program.
Clips of Dr. King’s famous “I’ve Been To The Mountaintop” speech were played and panelists were given opportunities to speak and elaborate on key points that stood out to them and what we could do going forward to further improve and help our current condition and communities.
Dr. King delivered that speech at Mason Temple in Memphis on April 3, 1968—the day before he was assassinated.
Dr. King was not a dreamer but was a revolutionary. The audience was taught about his final years, and learned about when his message became more urgent, radical, and challenged the U.S. government.
Powerful discussion points were made, and panelists discussed the importance of why the Original man and woman should know our culture.
