BOWLING GREEN — Emily Dunipace spoke of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., during her acceptance of the 2024 Drum Major for Peace Award on Friday.
“To be recognized as someone who exemplifies the teachings and values of Dr. King — a few of them are courage, truth, justice, passion, dignity, humility, and service — I'm very proud and it's an incredible honor,” said Ms. Dunipace, who serves as the community engagement specialist at Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
The award is presented to someone who benefits the Bowling Green community and exemplifies the teachings and values of Reverend King that Ms. Dunipace started, the city said on its website.
The presentation was part of the 35th annual tribute to Reverend King hosted by the Bowling Green Human Relations Commission at the Wood County District Public Library with about 40 in attendance.
“On this holiday we celebrate Dr. King's values and mutual respect and interracial camaraderie that Dr. King and other civil rights activists walked through,” said Bowling Green Mayor Mike Aspacher.
“This afternoon we celebrate an outstanding community member who has made a difference in our community,” he said. “Emily's enthusiasm is contagious, and she has a passion for helping people from all walks of life.”
In accepting her award, Ms. Dunipace challenged attendees to “carry on the teachings of Dr. King in society and in the city of Bowling Green — his vision of freedom and how he can live in a world without discrimination and racism and how we believe in the value of other human beings no matter what their background was.”
Keynote speaker Ana Brown, a member of the Bowling Green Human Relations Commission, began her presentation with interactive trivia, addressing the group with: “things we didn't learn in school” about Reverend King.
“True or false: Martin Luther King was his birth name?” Ms. Brown asked attendees, a question met with a silent response.
“False. His birth name — and father’s — were Michael,” she explained. “In Germany, his father became enamored with the teachings and the Protestant Reformation Movement, so he changed their names to Martin Luther King,”
As the deputy chief of diversity, belonging, and multicultural affairs at Bowling Green State University, Ms. Brown said the trivia was intentional and designed to bring awareness.
“These conversations, even though difficult, are so incredibly important if we're going to move forward as a society,” she said. “We are in a really precarious place in our country right now, and I want to see the pendulum swing back a little bit to where we can actually function as a society and disagree without being disagreeable.”
Bowling Green Police Deputy Chief Justin White was in attendance to support the initiative as well as celebrate the honor bestowed upon Ms. Dunipace.
“The police division also serves on the Human Relations Commission,” he said. “Being involved is a big part of our community.”
As the MLK holiday approaches, newly appointed commission member Roger Grant said he’s working toward influencing the city’s government to be more sympathetic toward diverse groups.
“One of the things I'd like to see the city of Bowling Green do is hire some minority police officers and move more toward diversifying jobs within the city,” he said.
While each day she sees countless people doing good deeds and making contributions so that the community is the best version of itself, Ms. Dunipace said she thinks everyone could benefit by living their lives emulating the teachings of Reverend King.
“Dr. King promoted love and a peaceful society and not hate,” she said. “I live my life with love, true love.”
First Published January 13, 2024, 12:22 a.m.
