Faith Voices for Jefferson City celebrated its third anniversary Friday welcoming Benjamin Akande, president of Westminster College in Fulton, as the speaker for the evening.
Akande spoke about the boomerang effect, which he said demonstrates a person's strength when they are met with challenges or adversities.
"The greatest defining moment for any one of us is not when everything is going smoothly," Akande said. "Watch people when they're mistreated, when they're misunderstood - when boomerangs are being thrown their way. Watch them, and you will see the real person."
He explained to the audience too many times people cower at the site of adversity, throwing boomerangs that hurt others in the midst, and he has learned to resist the temptation to throw boomerangs back in the direction they come.
Akande told the News Tribune his speech was a message about love, forgiveness, cooperation and collaboration.
His message spoke true to the ongoing efforts of Faith Voices, a grassroots organization that works to combat social injustices by advocating for people living in poverty and striving to unite the community.
Michelle Scott-Huffman, board president and pastor of the Table of Grace Church, told the News Tribune she hoped the event inspired everyone in attendance to take action toward issues surrounding social injustice.
"We recognize many of the injustices people experience relate to race and those who live in poverty," Scott-Huffman said. "This is the time we get to reflect and celebrate what we've been able to accomplish. Through our efforts, we realize that all voices matter and that we need to work together to lift us all."
Over the past year, Faith Voices has advocated against issues like the Legislature's discussion surrounding voter ID, which was said to potentially disenfranchise voters across the state; consumer finance protection regulations; and interest increases on small loans.
Scott-Huffman explained their work surrounding the issue of consumer finance protection regulations is one that will not stop until they get some results.
"Payday lenders are really the death of many citizens," she said. "We have decided this is an issue we will carry as long as we have to."
In addition to payday lending, Faith Voices will focus on protecting access to affordable health care by asking legislators not to repeal the Affordable Care Act, advocating for living wages for all workers, and to place an initiative on the 2018 ballot called Clean Missouri. The initiative would place limits on campaign contributions, reform the redistricting process, and require greater transparency and accountability in the Legislature.
Five choral students from the Fulton-based college also joined the celebration singing "This Little Light of Mine," "This Land is Your Land" and "If I had a Hammer."
Natasia Sexton, chair of the fine arts department at Westminster College, told the News Tribune the music they sang is carried over from the civil rights movement and was used to build solidarity among the people.
"I hope tonight as we stand and others joined in, our music united the room so we may all work toward justice together," Sexton said.