Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream remembered at Fairwinds Alumni Center

The Multicultural Student Center held a remembrance ceremony for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the Fairwinds Alumni Center on Tuesday. Dr. Steven Perry, founder of Capital Preparatory Magnet School, spoke to a crowd of about 50 people in the center's ballroom.

Perry, whose career includes directing a grassroots organization in Chester, Pa., running a homeless shelter and publishing four books, addressed the audience by saying even though they could be anywhere else at the moment they chose to be at the remembrance ceremony.

"Everybody who's supposed to be here is here," Perry said, looking around the room.

Perry emphasized the importance of having a dream and taking action to make that dream come true. He stated that people often see King's dream as being a subconscious notion that just hangs in the air instead of a tangible thing that King went about achieving.

"A person without a dream is an angry, disgruntled person," Perry said.

Perry stressed the importance of following your heart and following your passion. He also expressed that you must be prepared for a journey and willing to make sacrifices, such as staying up late hours, waking up at early hours and hearing countless laughter and rejection.

"If you are willing to pray, you must be willing to pay," he said.

Amirica Nicholson, a psychology major and the student relations director of MSC, found Perry's speech thought provoking and amazing.

"It made me appreciate myself for who I am," said Nicholson, who described herself as motivated and determined.

Paule Rene, an interpersonal-organizational communications major, found Perry's words to be very inspiring and wonderful. She said she was satisfied and the event exceeded her expectations.

"I came expecting inspiration. I got it," said Rene. "I came expecting motivation. I got it."

Rene was one of many students who were extremely satisfied with the ceremony. Nicholson said that the student feedback was very positive.

Rhodane Brown, a finance major and student director of MSC, was also pleased with the ceremony, saying that he wanted Perry to give a message on the rationale of King's dream and legacy to UCF.

"A lot of people turn a blind eye to what King tried to teach us," Brown said. "This event puts us back in check."

Ashley Dieudonne, a UCF psychology major, said she entered the ballroom with no specific expectations of the event she was attending.

"I came in open-minded," said the psychology major. "Sometimes it's better when you do."

She left the remembrance ceremony determined to do better in everything she achieved.

"I hear a lot of speeches, but today I was really inspired," she said. "I left more motivated than when I came in and I'm already a pretty motivated person," she said.