We are more alike than we are different, around 250 people were told Feb. 21 at the 30th annual Cultural Diversity Committee’s Black History Luncheon.
Alvin Riney, president of the Cultural Diversity Committee, was the featured speaker at the luncheon, which was held at Corpus Christi Center of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Imperial.
The speech, which was titled “What If,” focused on how important diversity is to the world and how labels can be harmful.
He noted most people enjoy the diverse selection of goods found at a supermarket and how we typically read the labels to help us choose what we want in our shopping carts.
Labels are great for grocery store items, he noted. But when it comes to human beings, there are no labels that come at face value, he said.
“Labels can be helpful, but labels can be hurtful,” Riney said. “I don’t think it naturally started out as being negative to put a label on another human, but it has devolved into hateful rhetoric, distrust, misinformation, betrayal and harm. Today, it’s all about labels.”
Reflecting after the speech, Riney said, “The main thing was the fact that diversity is not an ugly thing, and that we are all, as it was said there with Maya Angelou’s poem, that we are more alike than we are different.”
Audrey Kinder, 68, of Festus said she has attended the luncheon for many years and always appreciates the message of the speakers.
“They get an opportunity to let everybody in on what they’ve been involved in,” she said. “What their learning experience has been (and have) that opportunity to share and to give you some of what they have experienced.”
For Angelo James-Gordon, 23, of Festus, this was his first year to attend the luncheon, but not his first encounter with the organization.
In 2021, he received a Douglass Alumni Association scholarship, which the Cultural Diversity Committee awards annually to local Black students. The scholarship is named after the Douglass Cooperative School in Festus that enrolled Black students during segregation. This year, the committee presented a $3,000 check to the Douglass Alumni Association Scholarship Fund.
“I like being here because I want to sort of set an example, and I’m really kind of looking (to attend) next year too,” James-Gordon said. “Especially because I want to try to bring in more of the younger generations here to set better examples, so that way the future generations can kind of step in.”
Garrett Haney, 23, also of Festus, shared the same goal.
“The generations before us set this (event) up for us, so we’re here to participate,” Haney said. “It’s the generational continuation that is really important.”
A generational consideration was also behind an invitation offered by St. Pius High School Principal Karen DeCosty. She said the school has been purchasing a table at the luncheon for many years, but it was the first year she was able to attend. So, she began to think of who she might invite at St. Pius.
“We had an event the other night with our incoming freshmen,” DeCosty said. “And I knew that Laura Borman is someone that a lot of people know in the community, and I felt like this would be something she’d be interested in bringing her daughters to.”
Through the years, Borman, 61, of De Soto has worked at many districts in the county including Crystal City, Herculaneum and Festus.
Borman said she and her triplets – Gwen, Gianna and Gracie Davis – “were super excited” about the invitation.
“The girls were a little nervous; it’s their first time attending something that’s this fancy,” Borman said of the girls, who will be attending St. Pius next year.
Gwen, 14, said she was happy to attend the event.
“I feel happy that I got invited to come here and learn about black history,” she said.
During the event, the committee presented its Unsung Hero Award to D’Antay Mayes and Renee Gerlach.
“The Unsung Hero (Award) is about somebody that just steps up and does things in the community that nobody really gets or they don’t hear about,” Riney said.
Mayes is a long-time educator who has worked at many districts in Jefferson County and St. Louis. He has led many programs for students to prepare them for further education and beyond.
Gerlach founded the Aunt Rose Project which helps supply feminine hygiene products to young girls in the community, ensuring they have what they need.
The committee also awarded its Drum Major Award to The Museum of Unity and Hope, which will be built at the site where Douglas High School stood. The museum’s mission will be to preserve and honor the Black experience in Festus and Crystal City along with the ongoing fight for equality.
“The Drum Major (Award) is for an organization or an individual that steps out in the community to do something…to enhance the positivity in the community.”
The Missouri Big Band and the Owens Family were this year’s featured musical guests. Frankie Gianino’s of Imperial catered the luncheon.
See more photos from the event here:
