Presentation honors Martin Luther King Jr.

COEUR d'ALENE - Martin Luther King Jr. would have been 84 years old this year. In celebration of his life and legacy, and as part of its commitment to human-rights education, the Human Rights Education Institute invites the public to a presentation at 4 p.m. today.

A Seattle-based theater company, Living Voices, will present "The Right to Dream," the dramatic re-enactment of a young teenager growing up at the dawn of the Civil Rights era.

The performance's main character, Ruby, participates in landmark civil-rights events, such as the March on Washington. She meets important historical figures, including Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks.

An audio-visual component augments this unique, engaging performance. The one-hour show is free, open to the public, and suitable for children with families of children fifth grade and above.

The performance at the institute is actually the third Living Voices show of the day. Earlier in the day, the institute is sponsoring performances for area fifth-graders at North Idaho College's Schuler Performing Arts Center.

A performance at 9:30 a.m. is slated for Post Falls School District fifth-graders, and a show at 11:30 a.m. will be featured for Coeur d'Alene School District fifth-graders. An essay contest and student dancers are included as part of the program.

"This is one of the programs we get a lot of satisfaction out of putting on for the community every year," HREI Executive Director Thomas Carter said. "The legacy of Dr. King is so important, and we think this presentation will do a great job of delivering a positive message about equality and the need to fight against prejudice."

Last week, the Human Rights Education Institute sponsored a similar Living Voices performance, "Through the Eyes of a Friend." That show, held at Lakes Magnet Middle School and Woodland Middle School for eighth-graders, examined the impact of Anne Frank and the Holocaust.