“We Are Not Going Back” was the theme of the 20th annual King Day Breakfast sponsored by the Middlesex County NAACP Unit 7091 on Monday, Jan. 20.
“Today, we honor the life and legacy of Dr. King, a global leader who dedicated his life to justice, freedom, and equality. His vision for the ‘Beloved Community’ continues to inspire us to create a more just, humane, and peaceful world,” said the featured speaker, the Rev. Dr. Bryan A. Jones, who is a licensed professional counselor, and chief of Chaplain Services at the Hampton Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Dr. Jones grew up in the Burrell’s Marina area just west of Urbanna and graduated from Middlesex High School in 1995.
Long road
“Dr. King did not promise to us that the journey toward freedom and justice would be easy; but King challenged us to continue and keep moving forward in the fight for freedom and justice,” Dr. Jones told those assembled for the MLK Day event at the American Legion Post 82 in Saluda.
“Today, we gather not as strangers, but as a family bound by our shared history, our shared struggles, and most importantly, our shared dreams. We gather here today because we know the road behind us is long, paved with pain and perseverance, yet it teaches us, guides us, and strengthens us for the road ahead.”
Dr. Jones said, “We honor Dr. King’s life and memory by following the ‘Mission, Motivation and Methods and Movement’ for political and economic change.
“Dr. King reminds us that the journey to freedom involved a struggle. Dr. King reminds us that the journey to justice sometimes involves pain and discomfort. Dr. King reminds us that the fight for freedom and justice requires us to fight the system of injustice and inequality that seems to have a strong grip. But, we must stay woke!”
Persistence
“We must stay committed to the mission and going back is not an option… but we must continue to move forward and complete the mission like a dedicated soldier. We fight when we educate ourselves and refuse to be distracted. Distractions stop many of us… We are more passionate about a football game than fighting for change.”
The struggle for freedom and to eliminate injustice, “is not just a civil right but also an economic necessity,” said Dr. Jones, who echoed Dr. King who said “Black people were, and still are today, living in the lonely island of poverty in a vast ocean of prosperity.’ ”
Dr. Jones added, “Dr. King said we must follow the principals of discipline and dignity. Dr. King made a call for unity among all races. Dr. King stated that we must always march ahead, and we cannot turn back. Dr. King stated we will not be satisfied as long as there is injustice and racial separation. Dr. King stated justice must roll down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Action plan
Dr. Jones said he is committed to “helping with social justice and social change, and fostering mental health awareness to address grief, loss and depression.” And he would like to seek grants to assist the community with mental health and substance treatment awareness.
He also will “work for economic opportunities like business development and develop financial literacy classes for community empowerment.”
Rev. Dr. Bryan A. Jones is a licensed professional counselor, a pastoral counselor, and is the founder and executive director of The Joshua Generation Care and Consultant Services in Atlanta. Dr. Jones in January 2024 assumed the chief of Chaplain Services role at the Hampton Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. In this position he oversees all staff chaplains, clinical pastoral education programs, decedents affairs, and the family support counseling program. He is a 1995 graduate of Middlesex High School.
