Living Legacy Pilgrimage Leaders
The Rev. Hope Johnson
President
Rev. Dr. Hope Johnson serves as Minister of the Unitarian Universalist
Congregation of Central Nassau in Garden City, New York. An active leader of
the Unitarian Universalist movement, Hope currently serves the Unitarian
Universalist Association (UUA) as a Member of the Appointments Committee. She
is also a Consultant to the UUA in matters related to right relations and
anti-racism, anti-oppression, and multiculturalism. Hope currently serves as
President of the LLP Board, and as the LLP 2013 Chaplain.
The Rev. Gordon Gibson
Board member
Gordon Gibson has been involved in organizing and leading pilgrimages to civil rights sites since 2004. He brings his experience of living in Mississippi 1969-1984 when he was the Unitarian Universalist minister in the state. For seven of those years he was also an investigator for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. During the first weeks after Gordon was ordained, he was in Selma, Alabama, taking part in early phases of the voting rights campaign there. In retirement, Judy and Gordon live in Knoxville, Tennessee, where Gordon is writing a book about Southern Unitarian Universalists in the civil rights era. Gordon currently serves as a member of the Board, and the LLP historian.
Judy Gibson
Secretary
Judy Gibson has been involved, with her husband Gordon, since 2004, in organizing and leading seven previous pilgrimages to civil rights sites. While living and raising a family in Mississippi 1969-1984, she experienced and assisted in both volunteer and professional roles in bringing about changes in health care, education and legislation in the state following the height of the Movement. She is a Certified Program Professional in continuing education. A co-founder of the Living Legacy Project, Judy currently serves as Secretary to the Board and 2013 arrangements director .
Reggie Harris
Music Director
Reggie Harris has earned distinction as one of the foremost interpreters and song leaders of the music of the Underground Railroad and the Modern Civil Rights movement. With a passion for peace and justice, Reggie, with his wife and partner Kim, travels worldwide using their gifts to share hope and raise awareness of human rights in the spirit of Dr Martin Luther King’s beloved community. Reggie currently serves as a member of the Board and 2013 director of music.
Janice Marie Johnson
2013 Planning Chair
Janice Marie Johnson is a religious educator who serves as the Multicultural Ministries and Leadership Director at the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). She is deeply committed to creating collaborative community - multicultural, anti-racist, anti-oppressive, interfaith, multigenerational, etc., within the context of experiential learning. Her maxim is “Masakhane,” a rich and resonant word from the Nguni language -- one of the many languages of South Africa. Loosely translated into English it means, "Let us build together." Janice takes her maxim seriously, very seriously. Janice Marie currently serves as a member of the Board and chair and curriculum director of the 2013 Living Legacy Pilgrimage Planning Group.
Annette Marquis
Treasurer and Communications
Annette Marquis serves the Unitarian Universalist Association as the LGBTQ and Multicultural Ministries Program Manager. Previously, she served as the District Executive of the Southeast District of the Unitarian Universalist Association. Since becoming a Unitarian Universalist in 1991, she has been an active lay leader. She was one of the founding members of UU Allies for Racial Equity and served as its chair for its first two years. As a volunteer for UU Trauma Response Ministry, Annette provided mental health and other disaster relief to victims of Hurricane Katrina. She is author of Resistance: A Memoir of Civil Disobedience in Maricopa County and numerous other essays. You can find her blog at marquistory.com. Annette currently serves as Treasurer to the Board and 2013 communications coordinator.
Joseph Selmon
Tour Escort
Joseph Selmon, a son of Birmingham, Alabama, is our Tour Escort. A child of the Movement, he witnessed the water hoses as they were fired in Kelly Ingram Park fifty years ago. He got into action the very next day and walked with the children in the Children's March. We will "walk the walk" that he walked after that infamous day. Joseph shares his stories with us and is a vital connection to the Veterans of the Movement. He has led hundreds of people of all ages through the South on tours, journeys and pilgrimages. Joseph has been a vital member of the LLP Team since it's inception.
Valerie Walker
Travel Manager
Valerie Walker has been active as a social worker, advocate, educator and organizational leader throughout her career. Valerie is recognized for her counseling, consultation, and training skills throughout organizations in the Midwest, and considered a valuable resource for personal, professional and organizational development. She currently serves on the faculty at Harper College, and participates as a community member in various youth, faith and diversity-related initiatives. Her most important work is being an activist and mothering her spirited children. As a previous participant of the Living Legacy Civil Rights Pilgrimage and a long-time UU, she is thrilled to be contributing as the Travel Manager for the 2013 Pilgrimage.