[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan today announced the following appointments to the Governor’s Council on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday.

The council meets regularly to help guide efforts, provide insight and knowledge, and assist the Office of the Governor in hosting a celebration in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King. This year’s theme for the event, which will take place on Monday, January 20, 2020, is For Our Children.

“Dr. King’s legacy in the United States and in Minnesota is profound,” said Governor Walz. “This Council will ensure we celebrate Dr. King, honor his legacy, and continue to champion his work to ensure Minnesota is the best state in the country for all our children to grow up in.”

The Council is chaired by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero.

“In his visits to Minnesota in 1963 and 1967, Dr. King reflected on the gains of the civil rights movement while laying out the work yet to be done. Work that still must be done today,” said Commissioner Lucero. “It is an honor for our Department, responsible for championing civil rights, to be a part of this celebration and ensure Dr. King’s work and mission are carried forward.”

The following individuals are affiliated with the state, the private sector, the nonprofit sector, and the community. They bring a breadth of expertise in community engagement, event planning and organization, and fundraising.

Thomas Adams – Brooklyn Park, MN
Member
Effective: December 14, 2019
Expires: March 1, 2020
Replacing: Kate Webb

Xiomara Bell – St. Paul, MN
Member
Effective: December 14, 2019
Expires: March 1, 2020
Replacing: James Burroughs

Carl Crawford – Duluth, MN
Member
Effective: December 14, 2019
Expires: March 1, 2020
Replacing: Anna Mazig

Nicholas Jenkins – Bloomington, MN
Member
Effective: December 14, 2019
Expires: March 1, 2020
Replacing: David Collier

Fatima Lawson – Little Canada, MN
Member
Effective: December 14, 2019
Expires: March 1, 2020
Replacing: Charlotte Munkel-Olson

Scott Morris – Woodbury, MN
Member
Effective: December 14, 2019
Expires: March 1, 2020
Replacing: Megan Jablonski Johnson

Adrian Perryman – St. Paul, MN
Member
Effective: December 14, 2019
Expires: March 1, 2020
Replacing: Tomas Perez

Erickson Saye – St. Paul, MN
Member
Effective: December 14, 2019
Expires: March 1, 2020
Replacing: Naomi Alemseged

VJ Smith – Brooklyn Park, MN
Member
Effective: December 14, 2019
Expires: March 1, 2020
Replacing: Tatum Morris

Chris Taylor – St. Paul, MN
Member
Effective: December 14, 2019
Expires: March 1, 2020
Replacing: Kim Wassenaar

Whitney Terrill – Hopkins, MN
Member
Effective: December 14, 2019
Expires: March 1, 2020
Replacing: Devon Gilchrist