Cedars-Sinai Blog
Cedars-Sinai Hosts 22nd Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration
On Jan. 15, Cedars-Sinai hosted its 22nd annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration honoring the life and legacy of the civil rights icon. The event’s keynote speaker was Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, the nation’s largest civil rights and urban advocacy organization. He issued a timely call to action to continue the work of the late Rev. Dr. King.
Morial urged the audience to pursue the “three D’s,” which he said the Rev. Dr. King would be advancing today if he were alive:
- Defend democracy
- Demand diversity, equity and inclusion: Everyone should have the opportunity to pursue the American dream
- Defeat poverty: All Americans should have affordable healthcare and housing
The event was held in person for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 300 people gathered at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s Harvey Morse Auditorium or watched online. A video of the celebration can be viewed here.
"Throughout his life, the Rev. Dr. King was intensely passionate about the central importance of equal access to quality care."
The event’s musical guest—singer, pianist and songwriter Sheléa—opened the program with the Black national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Chaplin Rodney Foster followed with an invocation—a prayer for harmony and togetherness. He recalled the Rev. Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and his vision for people of different backgrounds and identities to unite.
Later, Cedars-Sinai President and CEO Thomas M. Priselac spoke about the Rev. Dr. King’s legacy and the importance of promoting health equity, referencing a 1966 press conference in Chicago.
“Throughout his life, the Rev. Dr. King was intensely passionate about the central importance of equal access to quality care,” Priselac said. “He knew when a person loses their healthcare, all other doors close. From the beginning, Cedars-Sinai has been a force for equality in healthcare in Los Angeles—a core value at the heart of the institution.”
Following an introduction by Keith L. Black, MD, chair of the Cedars-Sinai Department of Neurosurgery and the Ruth and Lawrence Harvey Chair in Neuroscience, Morial began his speech by thanking the essential workers on the front lines who care for patients under extremely difficult circumstances.
Morial, who is also a former mayor of New Orleans, asked the audience to consider the Rev. Dr. King’s legacy.
“I ask you, is the Rev. Dr. King relevant today or just a figure of nostalgia, history and eloquent words that we quote in his memory?” said Morial. “To fully understand him, we must examine the 20th century and the transformative forces that propelled him to be recognized as one of the most prominent and pivotal figures of all time.”
