2026 Annual MLK Committee Observance
Mayor Renard Johnson Donates Salary to the MLK Committee of El Paso, Texas
July 1, 2025 – Mayor Renard Johnson – “This week, I had the honor of meeting with the leadership and dedicated members of the Martin Luther King Jr. Committee. Their unwavering commitment to justice, education, and opportunity continues to inspire real change across our El Paso community.
As part of my ongoing monthly salary donation, I was proud to support the MLK Foundation and the powerful work they are doing. This contribution will go directly toward scholarships and community initiatives that uplift Dr. King’s vision, helping to open doors for the next generation of leaders right here in El Paso.
It’s about more than just honoring a legacy, it’s about living it. I’m deeply grateful to stand alongside those who are making a tangible impact, ensuring that Dr. King’s dream remains alive and active in our city.
Let’s continue working together to build a more just, inclusive, and empowered El Paso.”
🗓️ Save the Date:
Join us for the next MLK Committee Observance on January 18, 2026. It will be a powerful day of remembrance, service, and community.
#MLKFoundation #ElPasoStrong #CommunityMatters #ScholarshipsForChange #MayorJohnson #ServiceInAction
2025 El Paso MLK JR. Observance
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: MLK Committee of El Paso
Phone: 915-532-5959
Email: elpasomlk@gmail.com
El Paso’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration and Observance
El Paso, TX — The MLK Committee of El Paso proudly announces its annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration and Observance, scheduled for Sunday, January 19, 2025, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Temple Mount Sinai, 4408 N. Stanton St., El Paso, TX 79902. This year’s event will be held both in person and online, ensuring accessibility for all.
Themed “Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice, and Democracy in the Spirit of Nonviolence 365,” this gathering will reflect on Dr. King’s enduring legacy and the collective responsibility to uphold his vision of equality and peace.
Keynote Speaker:
Pastor Joi Wilkes
Kingdom Full Gospel Ministries, Jonesboro, GA
Pastor Wilkes is a dynamic spiritual leader and social justice advocate known for her passionate commitment to equality and nonviolence. Her address will inspire action and reflection on advancing freedom, justice, and democracy.
Join us in honoring the life and legacy of Dr. King through an afternoon of meaningful dialogue, inspiring messages, and community solidarity. This observance is free and open to the public.
For more information, please contact:
MLK Committee of El Paso | mlkelpaso.org
2024 MLK Celebration & Observance
Greetings,
We greet you in the Matchless Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! We pray that this letter finds each of you doing well and staying safe. On behalf of the MLK Committee of El Paso, we have, again, reached that time for our Annual Citywide 2024 MLK Celebration. This year’s theme is “It Starts With Me: Spreading Hope, Courage, and Unity,” which is so befitting with the current state of our nation and world. Our celebration is scheduled for Sunday, January 14, 2024, at 3:00 p.m., at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 3400 Wyoming St. 79903.
Our special keynote speaker is Rabbi Ben Zeidman, Temple Mount Sinai, El Paso, TX. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the El Paso Holocaust Museum and Study Center, the Leadership Council of the Interfaith Alliance of the Southwest, and the Ethics Committee of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.
We continuously strive to make our annual celebration even more prominent by celebrating Dr. King’s Life and Legacy in demonstrating all he stood for in our local community. I am excited to announce that the MLK Committee continues to be a blessing and an encouragement to our community high school graduates. We awarded two deserving seniors a $500 scholarship each as they pursue higher learning. With your support, we can continue to make this a constant initiative for our community high schoolers pursuing a higher education.
We are so thrilled and excited about this year’s celebration. However, we want to stress that hosting this citywide event and supporting our scholarship initiatives takes exceptional effort and finances. Consequently, we need your help and are asking for your financial support. As with previous years, your name will be included in our celebration booklet as a token of appreciation. The levels of support are as follows:
- Platinum – $500.00
- Gold – $300.00
- Silver – $200.00
- MLK Supporter – $100.00 or Less
The contribution deadline is December 31, 2023; make checks and money orders payable to the MLK Committee of El Paso. Send donations to P.O. Box 641224, El Paso, Texas 79904. Additionally, you may make donations using CashApp or Givelify.com by searching for the MLK Committee of El Paso.
Lastly, we pray that you would please support us with your attendance and finances. Attached is a copy of this year’s flyer that details all the information. We ask that you please announce the celebration at your businesses, meetings, and worship experiences. If you need additional information or have any questions regarding donations and sponsorships, please feel free to contact Overseer Johnson at (915) 845-0800, Elder Carolyn Lucas at (915) 892-4858, or Deacon Adrian Hines at (915) 373-6943. May God continue to bless and keep you!
Statement on Shootings in Buffalo, NY | mlkelpaso.org
The shooting of 13 innocent individuals last Saturday in Buffalo, New York, is another example of the seemingly endless violence committed against people of color in our country daily.
A volatile combination of assault weapon accessibility, misguided ideologies of hate, domestic terrorism, and tactics of white genocide adopted by an eighteen-year-old resulted in the deaths of ten Blacks and three wounded.
The teenager accused of killing Blacks in the Buffalo supermarket massacre posted a rambling white supremacist manifesto that spewed a racist philosophy and outlined step-by-step plans to exterminate Blacks in the U.S. On behalf of the El Paso MLK Committee, we offer our sincere condolences to the families of the victims of this horrific tragedy.
We pray that God will strengthen, encourage, and uplift you during this extremely difficult time. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stated, “Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness.” We pray the El Paso Community will continue to align itself with local law enforcement agencies, faith-based groups, school administrators, school districts, parents, organizations, and entrepreneurs to eradicate the threat of violence.
Humbly submitted,
Bishop Albert J. Mays, Jr., MA. ED, ED (c), D.D.
President
MLK Committee
Black History Month | February 2022
“It starts with me: Shifting priorities to create the beloved community.”
The MLK Committee celebrates and recognizes February as Black History Month, also referred to as African American Heritage Month. Black history is American history, Black culture is American culture, and Black stories are essential to the continuous story of America — our flaws, our struggles, our progress, contributions, goals, and objectives.
The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) has themed this year’s Black History Month as “Black Health and Wellness.” Across generations, countless Black Americans have demonstrated profound courage and resilience to help shape our Nation.
The MLK Committee would like for the El Paso Community to recognize and learn about numerous Black pioneers and their contributions in the health care industry in the United States, to name a few:
Dr. Alexa Irene Canady, first female African American neurosurgeon
Dr. James Derham, the first recognized African American physician
Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, first African American woman to earn a medical degree
Dr. James McCune Smith, first African American man to earn a medical degree
Dr. Leonidas Harris Berry, as a renowned gastroenterologist
Dr. Charles Richard Drew, known as the “father of blood banking.”
The MLK Committee remains committed to cultivating a culture of service, equity, and inclusion. Also, the MLK Committee is dedicated to ensuring equality for all people regardless of ethnicity, gender, race, customs, practices, and beliefs.
Warm Regards,
Bishop Albert J. Mays, Jr., MA.ED, ED (c), D.D.
President
MLK Committee
Monthly Message | December 2021
December Reflection
“The essence of life’s most precious treasures is: How are you serving others in your community?”
According to Gary Zimet, CEO of Moments in Time (the mid-1960s), King wrote the note after someone asked him what he believed was the meaning of “Love.” The note reads, “Love is the greatest force in the universe. It is the heartbeat of the moral cosmos. He who loves is a participant in the being of God.”
Currently, we are faced with a host of uncertainties to include the rise of the Omicron variant, political, social, economic, educational, and healthcare challenges. However, during this Holiday Season, I invite you to focus your attention on serving others. I have learned the phrase “the disease of introspection,” which means when we focus inward all the time, it becomes unhealthy and can be detrimental to our mental and physical health. But when we concentrate outwardly on other people, we feel better about helping someone. An article by C.S. Lewis states, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” Therefore, we cordially request you join the MLK Committee in demonstrating Love to the hopeless, compassion to the wounded, and kindness to the underprivileged.
God bless you all and Happy Holidays!
Albert J. Mays, Jr.
President