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“Janet Bledsoe Lacy 2008 Martin Luther King, Jr. Award,” by Erin Guzman Published in North County Lawyer, Vol. 25, No. 3, March 2008 Janet Bledsoe Lacy has been named the recipient of the City of Oceanside’s 2008 Martin Luther King, Jr. Civic Award. Ms. Lacy received the award on Saturday, February 2, 2008, as a part of the North San Diego County chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a celebration in honor of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. The celebration, held at Mira Costa College, included musical performances and interviews with local children acting as famous people of color. The award was presented to Ms. Bledsoe Lacy by Mayor Jim Wood on behalf of the City of Oceanside in recognition of her long history of service to the community reflecting the teachings and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. John Lundblad, the City of Oceanside’s awards coordinator, said the award is given to those who have “devoted significant time and energy to activities that build up their community.” Ms. Bledsoe Lacy became a member of the North San Diego County Chapter of the NAACP when she was 16 years old. She has been a devoted member since and has made significant contributions to the NAACP and her community over the years. Ms. Bledsoe Lacy has manage the City of Oceanside’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Program which is sponsored by the City of Oceanside through the Community Relations Commission. Any high school senior living in Oceanside and planning to attend college is eligible to apply. The scholarship program is intended to provide funds to low and moderate income graduating high school seniors who exemplify the ideals of the late Dr. King. The number and amount of the scholarships are determined each year by the amount received from private donations; no public funds are used for this program. Ms. Bledsoe Lacy has been a significant fundraiser for this program. Each year, the awards program is hosted by Ms. Bledsoe Lacy at her home, where the recipients of the scholarship are honored and are able to share their stories and meet other members of their community. This program has made a positive impact on the City of Oceanside and has assisted in the success of many young members of the community. When making her acceptance speech, Ms. Bledsoe Lacy was sincerely moved by being honored with such an award. She explained how her achievements were inspired by Dr. King through his accomplishments and his manner of achieving them. She also stated that she truly believes that, “Dr. King fought for me just as hard as he fought for people of color.” Dr. King would have been proud to see Ms. Lacy receive this award named in his honor.
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