MLK, race, and progress: Previewing the "MLK Living the Dream" series

By Evan Dawson,

Published December 30, 2024 at 3:31 PM EST

Five smiling men stand with their arms around each other's shoulders. From left to right: a man with short black hair and a grey beard wearing glasses, a red button-down shirt and a black suit; a bald man with a black beard wearing glasses, a black shirt and pants, and a beige blazer; a man with short dark hair wearing a blue vest and jeans; a man with a grey beard wearing a black headband, a black vest, and jeans; and a man with a grey beard wearing glasses, a black jacket, a red and black paid shirt, and black pants.

1 of 2 — MLK Living the Dream Series on Connections.jpg

(left to right) Julius "JD" Jackson, Jr., Kevin Spencer Beckford, Herb Smith, and Rashaad Parker on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Monday, December 30, 2024

Megan Mack / WXXI News

A smiling woman with wavy brown hair wearing a pink blouse

2 of 2 — Tharaha Thavakumar.jpg

Tharaha Thavakumar

Provided

A smiling man with short dark hair wearing a blue button-down shirt and a grey blazer. He is holding a pair of eyeglasses. The word "Connections" appears on the left side of the photo in vertical letters.

A Pittsford-based group is bringing back its winter series focused on the themes of MLK, race, and progress.

Our guests talk about their views of living in one of the wealthiest communities in the region — and a community that, despite efforts to change this — is not very diverse.

We discuss the "MLK Living the Dream" series at length.

Our guests:

Kevin Spencer Beckford, founder of the "MLK Living the Dream" series
Julius "JD" Jackson, Jr., pastor of United Church of Pittsford (UCP)
Rashaad Parker, filmmaker, visual artist, and entrepreneur
Herb Smith, musician, composer, and director of the Jazz Trio & Youth Jazz Group
Tharaha Thavakumar, president of Pittsford CommUNITY Inc.