In Focus: Greater Martin Luther King Day of Service and Events

On PHL 17’s In Focus this weekend with Jennifer Lewis-Hall that aired Saturday, January 18, 2020 and Sunday January 19, 2020 we start with a focus on the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and events happening in the Tri-State area for the 25^th annual Martin Luther King Day of Service. We are joined by Jenna Kehres, National Constitution Center Senior Museum Programs Manager who talks about events surrounding MLK Day including a reading of Martin Luther King Junior’s historic “I Have A Dream Speech.” Other exhibits include “Fourteen” on the 14^th Amendment and interactive online materials that help students and teachers collaborate in the classroom to learn about Dr. King’s life and his impact on civil rights in America. The Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service is said to be the largest MLK Day of Service event in the nation. Next, we meet a group of women and their children who call themselves “Traci’s Tribe.” They’ve been instrumental in launching an inaugural event in the memory of their best friend Traci DiStefano from Bucks County who passed away a year ago. Organizers say the event, “Kids Comfort for Cancer” happening this month will benefit patients of Fox Chase Cancer Center. It is an idea that then 13-year old Casey Stone came up with and she has already raised tens of thousands of dollars. Stone, along with Traci DiStefano`s Sister Nicole Landolfi and Traci`s Tribe Co-Chair Heather Kamasa join Jennifer to talk about their friend’s life and how they are now helping others in honor of her.

Then, stop and take some time to smell the roses! Roses and thousands of other flowers at the upcoming 2020 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show. We learn more details about this year’s theme “Riviera Holiday.” And we see how people can get involved as volunteers and with the PHS Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s community initiatives including PHS City Harvest, Garden Tenders and Roots to Re-Entry. Roots to Re-Entry is a  job initiative created by PHS and the Philadelphia Prison System that helps people who have been incarcerated find employment in urban agriculture and landscape management. Sam Lemheney, PHS Chief of Shows and Events and Julianne Schrader Ortega, PHS Chief of Healthy Neighborhoods joins us at PHL 17.

And, January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Experts estimate that that there are forty-million victims of human trafficking. We learn more about the issue as Jennifer moderated a panel on human trafficking with representatives from the Attorney General’s Office in New Jersey, Prosecutor’s Office, Cherry Hill Police Department, a survivor of human trafficking and representatives from rescue organizations. In Focus airs Saturdays at 6:30 a.m. and Sundays at 1 p.m. on PHL 17.