Various prayers, including Sanskrit mantras, read at Martin Luther King Service in Nevada

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed read hymns from Rig-Veda, Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita at the Interfaith Memorial Service honoring civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Reno (Nevada) on January 15.

Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, speaking on the occasion, stated that as we all know, Dr. King had a dream and he empowered others to envision a new reality with him and then made efforts to bring that vision to life. Zed suggested those gathered to dream bigger than their circumstances to rekindle Dr. King’s legacy. So have a dream, communicate it, and then work hard towards materializing it, he added.

Zed also urged the attendees to take a pledge by repeating after him: I shall have a dream of improving the human condition and put my efforts and energy to realize it. And the audience repeated the pledge.

Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell was the keynote speaker. Others who spoke/prayed/sang on the occasion included Nevada Assemblywoman Angie Taylor, Reno City Councilmember Miguel Martinez, Rabbi Benjamin Zober of Temple Sinai, Michael Williams of Valley View Christian Fellowship, Reverend Matthew Fisher of Reno Buddhist Center, Rita Sloan of Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno, Youssef Samir of Northern Nevada Muslim Community, Chaplain Sherman Baker of Veterans’ Administration Medical Center, Patricia Meidell of Nevada Interfaith Association, Mary Cooper of Northern Nevada Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Committee, Johnnice Burton, KaPreace Young of Shades of Queening. Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell, Reverend Sean Savoy and Black Wall Street were presented with the Reverend Onie Cooper Humanitarian Award. “I have a dream” video was also shown on the occasion.

Theme of this 37th Annual Service was “Our Voice, Our Power” and it was jointly organized by Northern Nevada Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Committee and Nevada Interfaith Association.