Knox County to honor MLK Jr. at annual commemorative breakfast

The Knox County community is invited to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the annual Knox County MLK Commemorative Breakfast on Monday, Jan. 19, at 9 a.m. in Foster Hall, Ariel Arena, at Mount Vernon Nazarene University.

This year’s breakfast, themed “The Audacity to Believe,” will feature Ronald C. Todd, Chief of Social Impact & Opportunity at the Ohio Department of Development, as the main speaker. Todd will deliver an inspiring message that reflects on Dr. King’s transformative vision and its relevance to today’s challenges.

Todd brings extensive experience in public service and community leadership to this year’s event. As Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s Minority Affairs Liaison, he served as the administration’s point person on minority business development, economic development, K-12 educational establishments and colleges, faith-based initiatives, and government access. He also co-chairs the governor’s RecoveryOhio Minority Health Working Group. Prior to joining DeWine’s administration in 2019, Todd served as a senior advisor and consultant in the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office under then-Secretary Jon Husted.

A third-generation entrepreneur and descendant of coal miners in West Virginia, Todd grew up in the inner city of Dayton, where he was an All-City high school football player at Belmont High School. His athletic achievements earned him a football scholarship to Bowling Green State University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Ohio Dominican University and received a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace certificate from the University of South Florida Muma College of Business.

Todd is an ordained elder in the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International and serves as overseer of Governmental Affairs for the Fellowship of Christian Churches United in Service.

The event is sponsored by Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Kenyon College, and the MLK Legacy Committee, demonstrating a continued commitment to honoring Dr. King’s principles of justice, equality, and unity across Knox County.

Distinguished local leaders will offer remarks at the breakfast, including:

• Dr. Matthew T. Starr, Mayor, City of Mount Vernon
• Leeman Kessler, Mayor, Village of Gambier
• Dr. Julie Kornfeld, President, Kenyon College
• Dr. Carson Castleman, President, Mount Vernon Nazarene University

The Annual Knox County MLK Commemorative Breakfast has become a cornerstone event for the region, bringing together community members, civic leaders, educators, and students to reflect on Dr. King’s enduring impact and recommit to the ongoing work of creating a more just and equitable society.

The event is open to the public. To RSVP, visit mvnu.edu.