• Brands
  • About
  • Life at CBC
  • Careers
  • News
  • Contact
Menu
  • Brands
  • About
  • Life at CBC
  • Careers
  • News
  • Contact
Search
Close this search box.

AT&T’s Marshall Encourages Crowd to ReThink Possible at Annual MLK Interfaith Prayer Breakfast

  • Andrea Osborne
  • January 17, 2012
  • News
See All News
AT&T’s Marshall Encourages Crowd to ReThink Possible at Annual MLK Interfaith Prayer Breakfast

“Make the impossible possible.” 
– Cynthia Marshall, President, AT&T North Carolina

MLK Breakfast
Attendees at the annual Martin Luther King Triangle Interfaith Prayer Breakfast blow their horns to signal their pledge to” make the impossible possible.”
caption
slidesView the Slideshow

On Monday, January 16, 2012, a capacity crowd filled the Imperial Ballroom at the Sheraton in Research Triangle Park for the 32nd Annual Martin Luther King Triangle Interfaith Prayer Breakfast.   Elected officials and leaders from all faiths joined together to celebrate the legacy of Dr. King. 

Capitol Broadcasting Company was honored to once again serve as sponsor, a privilege the company has had for over 25 years.

CBC President & CEO Jim Goodmon gave welcoming remarks near the open of the breakfast, announcing that for the first time his dream of having the event televised on WRAL-TV had come true.  The second hour of the breakfast, from 8:00-9:00am, appeared live on the Big 5.

“A lot of people can’t get here at 7am,” said Goodmon.  So he made sure that over 15,000 people could see the event from home.  “We have a whole lot to be thankful for.  One thing I’m thankful for is that there are people like Martin Luther King.”

The breakfast included music form the Good Samaritan Baptist Church Men’s Chorus from Garner and greetings from the Mayors of Garner, Raleigh and Durham.  NC Governor Bev Perdue and N.C. Senator Kay Hagan also offered remarks.

“King’s gift through speech inspired our nation to look at ourselves in a new way,” said Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane.


“Education is a moral and a legal issue, educating ourselves to what the vision of what Martin Luther King was.”
– N.C. Governor Bev Perdue


“You won’t learn how to swim until you get in the water,” said Wake County Public School Superintendent Tony Tata.  “We need high expectations of our students and first a belief in every child’s potential.  We are slowly closing the achievement gap, but slowly is not enough.”

Jim Goodmon
CBC President & CEO Jim Goodmon tells the crowd CBC is proud to be a long-time sponsor of the breakfast.
Cynthia Marshall
AT&T North Carolina President Cynthia Marshall tells the crowd that for the day RTP stands for ReThink Possible.

Tata attended this the first breakfast in his tenure as school superintendent.

Two special recognitions took place from the podium.  NC Bankers Association President Thad Woodard gave special honor for a Triangle Icon to Raymond Henderson, who got his start on WRAL-AM radio under the tutelage of Triangle legend J.D. Lewis. 

Then Bruce Lightner, Chairman of the MLK Committee, honored the N.C. Baptist Men for their hard work to help citizens of Raleigh recover from the devastating April 17th tornadoes that ripped through the area. 

“They didn’t need to call a meeting.  They didn’t need to call a press conference.  They just came to help,” said Lightner.

In what has become an annual highlight of the event, Adrian Bullock, now a 10th grade student at Enloe High School, recited King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.  His stirring rendition earned a standing ovation.


“It’s important we all create our own dreams and sing our own songs.”
– Rozlyn Sorrell


Accomplished songstress Rozlyn Sorrell delivered an inspiring musical number before keynote speaker Cynthia Marshall took the dais. 

Marshall, the President of AT&T North Carolina, energetically told the story of many of her own struggles.  Born in the projects of California she determinedly made her way through school with the encouragement of her mother.  She suffered many hardships and life challenges but challenged the crowd to think of RTP, not as the Research Triangle Park of the day, but for ReThink Possible.

“I am living Dr. King’s dream,” said Marshall.  “I’m here today to give you a mission:  Make the impossible possible.”

MLK Breakfast
Even the youngest members of the crowd get into the spirit of making a joyful noise to further Dr. King’s dream.

She read a poem she’d written as a second grader after the assassination of Dr. King and reflected on her own sadness at his death.  But she said she knew education was her ticket out of the projects and went on to a full scholarship at UC-Berkley.

“He endured many Mission Impossible moments,” said Marshall of Dr. King.  “My mother taught me it’s not where you live, it’s how you live.”

She left the crowd with the story of Gideon from the Bible, and then had everyone blow horns she’d placed on the table and light lights she’d provided, a symbol of how Gideon and a small army defeated a huge horde with horns and lanterns. 

Marshall left the crowd with the charge to “Make the Impossible Possible,” a fitting reminder of the legacy and dream of Dr. King.

Links

  • WRAL.com: Read more about MLK events in the Triangle & see video from the breakfast
  • Raleigh-Wake Martin Luther King Celebration Committee
  • Freedom. Justice. Equality exhibit at American Tobacco

 

Martin Luther King Triangle Interfaith Prayer Breakfast

Over 1,000 Triangle citizens join for breakfast on Monday, January 16, 2012, to celebrate Martin Luther King Day.
Families enjoy the 32nd annual Martin Luther King Triangle Interfaith Prayer Breakfast together.
The crowd makes their way to the Sheraton Imperial Ballroom.
The annual MLK Breakfast takes place in the ballroom at the Sheraton Imperial Ballroom on MLK Day.
FOX 50’s Chris Downey is a regular at the annual MLK breakfast.
WRAL-TV’s Steve Hammel (right) greets head table member Rabbi Eric Solomon.
WRAL-TV’s Clarence Williams (left) & WRAL-TV’s Stuart Todd work hard to get the program set for live broadcast on WRAL-TV.
FOX 50’s Claudia Henry is happy to be attended the breakfast for the first time.
FOX 50’s Sharon Farrington checks out the program.
The Rev. Dr. Dumas Harshaw opens the 2012 breakfast and serves as emcee.
The crowd recites the Pledge of Allegiance at the opening of the program.
CBC President & CEO Jim Goodmon announces the 8am hour of the breakfast will be live on WRAL-TV for the first time ever.
The Good Samaritan Baptist Church Men’s Chorus from Garner sings “I Wanna Be Robed and Ready.”
The Good Samaritan Baptist Church Men’s Chorus from Garner sings “I Wanna Be Robed and Ready.”
Ronnie Williams, Mayor of Garner, offers words of welcome.
Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane brings greetings from the City of Raleigh.
Durham Mayor Bill Bell brings greetings from the Bull City.
N.C. Senator Kay Hagan brings a few remarks from the Nation’s Capital.
N.C. Governor Bev Perdue applauds the MLK Day Committee for their efforts on the day’s events.
Wake County Public Schools Superintendent Tony Tata brings greetings in his first MLK event.
WRAL-TV’s Clarence Williams keeps contact with the TV station, making sure the broadcast is running smoothly.
WRAL-TV’s John Cox keeps his camera trained on the podium.
The crowd listens intently to the speakers.
A capacity crowd fills the Sheraton Imperial Ballroom.
NC Bankers Assn President Thad Woodard addresses the crowd.
Ray Henderson, who got his start on WRAL-AM Radio, is honored for being a Triangle Icon.
Enloe High School 10th grader Adrian Bullock recites Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech with passion.
Bruce Lightner, Chairman of the MLK Day Committee, honors the N.C. Baptist Men for their assistance to Raleigh citizens after the April 17th tornadoes.
The N.C. Baptist Men Disaster Relief Team is honored for their volunteer work to help Raleigh recover from the April 17th tornadoes.
Rabbi Eric Solomon from the Beth Meyer Synagogue in Raleigh delivers a prayer for World Peace.
The Honorable Oliver Muhammed, Iman, of the Salaam Islamic Center of Raleigh offers a prayer for Equality and Reconciliation.
Rozlyn Sorrell offers a stirring musical number singing, “I’ve got to sing my song.”
Orage Quarles III, President & Publisher of the News & Observer, introduces the keynote speaker.
Cynthia Marshall, President of AT&T North Carolina, gives a keynote address that gets the crowd going.
WRAL-TV’s Steve Hammel (left) & WRAL-TV’s Loretta Harper Arnold join in the crowd participation Marshall requests from the room.
FOX 50’s Tommy Schenck and FOX 50’s Sylvia Lanier repeat after Marshall that the impossible is possible.
FOX 50’s Claudia Henry (left) & singer Rozlyn Sorrell join in the crowd participation.
Even the young members of the crowd get into the spirit of the morning.
This young man is happy to toot his horn as part of the Gideon-inspired demonstration led by keynote speaker Cynthia Marshall.
In a move inspired by the Biblical story of Gideon, the crowd blows horns as directed by Marshall.
In a move inspired by the Biblical story of Gideon, the crowd blows horns as directed by Marshall.
The lights are dimmed and the crowd turns on small lights as a symbol of the lanterns of Gideon’s soldiers, more of Marshall’s impactful story lesson.
The lights are dimmed and the crowd turns on small lights as a symbol of the lanterns of Gideon’s soldiers, more of Marshall’s impactful story lesson.
Michael Page, Pastor of Antioch Baptist Church, closes the 32rd annual MLK Triangle Interfaith Breakfast.
PrevPreviousDPAC Ranked Fourth Among Top US Entertainment Venues
NextRenegade Artist Champions Freedom. Justice. Equality. at American TobaccoNext
See All News

Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. is a diversified communications company working for and serving the community.

Follow us online:

Twitter Linkedin
Search

Explore

  • Brands
  • About
  • Life at CBC
  • Careers
  • News
  • Contact
  • Brands
  • About
  • Life at CBC
  • Careers
  • News
  • Contact

Get in Touch

We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message.

2619 Western Blvd.
Raleigh, NC 27606

P: (919) 890-6000
F: (919) 890-6095

© Copyright 2023 Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Terms & Conditions  |  Privacy Policy