Uniting As One by Shanna Bryant
Shanna M. Bryant	LANSING, MI - "We need to unite and the time is now," said long time civil rights and community leader, Ernestine McMullen. McMullen, a well-known citizen of Lansing, has had a vision for some time now. Her vision includes bringing all cultures together to trade different thoughts, ideas, points of views, pains, and sorrows, even recipes.

And in doing this, the public will discover that all cultures and races may have different exteriors, but inside we all suffer from the same trials and tribulations as the next person.

With hope and faith, her vision will come true Saturday, September 18th 2004 from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm at Adado Riverfront Park when people from throughout the area get together for Unity In The Community, a day long family festival.

A Lansing resident for more than 50 years, McMullen was a devoted employee of Community Mental Health for 29 years. Her daughter coined the phase, "Just Say No," and McMullen played a lead role in organizing the nation's first "Just Say No To drugs" march at Lansing's Riverfront Park in 1986.

Through the years she has conducted a sometimes one-women campaign to help the homeless, the unemployed, and victims of substance abuse. Developing programs to combat such problems is just one of the accomplishments achieved by Mrs. McMullen right here in Lansing.

The Unity in the Community committee is looking forward to having Lansing area residents to come out and enjoy meeting different people and getting acquainted with their ways of life. What's a unity festival without "love food," (a term coined by Mrs. McMullen to include BBQ chicken with homemade sauce, spaghetti, coleslaw, fried corn, fried fish, and tons of desserts). Adding to the festivities will be a combination of jazz and R&B music performed by Lansing's very own Miss Reality and Mary Ann Davis and her band, MAD. Mad has performed with famous artists such as B.B. King, Marvin Gaye, and Smokey Robinson.

The Sexton High School dance team will be performing as well. A special treat will be presented by Mr. Leonard Leek and the Main Street Association. They will present the "Main street Review," featuring Mr. B/Wise who teaches children the message, " Have a good heart, be wise, and be right.

For shopaholics, there will be booths and vendors from across the city selling everything from homemade t-shirts to flowers and hand baskets. Also, look for the African art being sold.

The committee will honor city council members, mayors, and governors of yesterday and today for helping make Lansing a better place. Her message to the public, "Reach out and reach back."

Shanna M. Bryant is a participant in the Young Publishers Club sponsored by the Michigan Bulletin which meets at the Magic Johnson Foundation Creation Station located at the Black Child and Family Institute - 835 W. Genesee, Lansing MI.

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