Stockton's Tony McNeil, a fervent advocate for marginalized communities, will take the stage as the keynote speaker at the 26th Annual Celebration of Unity on January 15. Hosted at Lodi's First United Methodist Church at 200 W. Oak St., the event, organized by the Breakthrough Project for Social Justice, commemorates the achievements and birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., fostering a celebration of unity and diversity within the community.
McNeil, the founder and executive director of Concrete Development Inc., a Stockton-based nonprofit, expressed her excitement about addressing the gathering. "It's an honor, and I'm really looking forward to it," she said. McNeil acknowledged the commendable efforts of the Breakthrough Project and other organizations in shifting the historical narrative of Lodi, which was once known as a 'sundown city.'
"Sundown towns" practiced racial segregation through local laws, intimidation, or violence, directing people of color to leave by sundown. McNeil praised Lodi's strides in promoting diversity through social work and restorative justice.
The theme for this year's Celebration of Unity is "A Light Forward," and McNeil plans to share insights into her life journey, drawing parallels with following the yellow brick road in "The Wizard of Oz." "You just need light to follow the right path forward," she said.
As an ordained Elder for over 17 years, McNeil founded Concrete Development Inc. to provide leadership development and training to those within marginalized communities impacted by gun violence, incarceration, and homelessness. She emphasized that the healing process from historical traumas should be universal, cutting across racial lines.
McNeil, a community organizer for over a decade, also leads restorative justice organizing efforts in the Central Valley and networks on national and statewide levels. Additionally, she is the founder and host of "Anti-Black Conversations," a virtual platform challenging conditioned mindsets among people of color.
The Celebration of Unity will also announce winners of the Art Raab Memorial Essay Contest, open to Lodi Unified School District fifth- and sixth-graders. Participants were tasked with writing about the event's theme of "A Light Forward." The Breakthrough Project will recognize its community "Peacemakers" during the celebration.
The event kicks off at noon on January 15 and is open to the public, free of charge. For more information about the Breakthrough Project, visit BreakThroughProjectLodi.org.