Dr. King Luncheon focuses on building the ‘Beloved Community’ through individual acts
Brian Ayers
Media and Public Relations manager | January 13, 2026
More than 200 people gathered at the Fort Omaha Campus for the 41st Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration for an afternoon of recognition, reflection and appreciation of the civil rights leader’s enduring legacy.
The theme of this year’s luncheon was “Mission Possible II: Building Community, Uniting a Nation the Nonviolent Way.” A special awards presentation honored two Omaha women leaders for their commitment to community, contributions to civic responsibility and advocacy for restorative justice highlighted the MCC Access, Opportunity and TRIO Programs-hosted event.
MCC President Randy Schmailzl and Cynthia Gooch-Grayson, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Access Opportunity and TRIO Programs, presented awards to Joanna Lindberg and Tommie Wilson.
Lindberg was fittingly doing the kind of work she was being recognized for on Monday — registering voters (on campus at MCC). She is well-known for her volunteer work with the League of Women Voters.
Lindberg has a passion for voter engagement, focusing on communities with historically low turnout. She helped compile and distribute voter guides, led college campus registration drives and pioneered voter education and on-site registration in area high schools — efforts that now reach every Omaha Public Schools government classroom and neighboring districts.
In 2024 alone, more than 700 high school students were registered to vote through these efforts. Some may have been on hand at the event as multiple tables were filled with Omaha high school students from Central, North, Northwest and Westside.
Lindberg’s professional life included roles as a social worker for Douglas County before moving into a leadership role with nonprofit Heartland Family Service, where she oversaw programs supporting youth and families. Her work focused on young people involved in the juvenile justice system and helping families navigate transition and displacement. She helped develop restorative justice programs for juvenile offenders and school readiness initiatives for refugee children and their families.
Wilson, the second honoree, spent a more than four-decade career in education, including roles as teacher with OPS and in public affairs at MCC. She retired from the College at 83 in 2016.
Wilson came of age in the segregated South, graduating from E.J. Campbell Colored High School in 1951 at the age of 15 and among the top five students in her class. That same year, she enrolled at Texas Southern University in Houston.
During her formative high school and college years, she started assuming leadership roles with the NAACP, holding a lifetime membership that reflected an early and sustained dedication to civil rights. She eventually became president of the organization’s Nebraska chapter.
Gooch-Grayson said Wilson’s lifetime of work for the NAACP, advocacy for system-impacted people and mentorship of individuals reentering society helped her earn the nickname “Mommie Tommie.” She was also known for her ability to sing, including at performances with the Houston Symphony Orchestra.
“What stood out this year was the powerful alignment of two women honorees from very different backgrounds who are yet united by their commitment to service and uplifting communities,” Dr. Gooch-Grayson said.
Keynote speaker Tyjaun A. Lee, Ph.D., vice chancellor of Administrative Services at Metropolitan Community College, Kansas City, MO, shared remarks on Six Actions Rooted in Empathy, applying them to Dr. King’s legacy — listening, compassion, service, civic engagement, kindness and intention.
“For 41 years, Metropolitan Community College has hosted the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Luncheon with great intentionality for our students, faculty, staff and the community — first under the visionary leadership of the late Dr. Barbara Coffey, before it became a federal holiday. That legacy reflects Dr. King’s call for the Beloved Community, grounded in inclusion, dignity and shared responsibility,” Gooch-Grayson said. “Our keynote speaker, Dr. Tyjaun Lee, reinforced that making the mission possible and building the Beloved Community do not require a title, position or recognition — they require action. We hope everyone left reminded that each of us can make a difference through everyday acts of kindness and a willingness to serve.”
A catered lunch was served by the MCC Institute for the Culinary Arts, and music accompaniment was provided by saxophonist Chad Stoner. This annual event is open to the public.
MCC provides intercultural programming like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. luncheon throughout the year. Visit mccneb.edu/Intercultural for more information about intercultural events and programs.