Mel King celebrates 90 years with benefit for Tech Center

On Saturday night, October 20, the atrium of the Harriet Tubman House at United South End Settlements was filled with music and well-wishers gathered to help community activist, educator, author, former elected official and visionary Mel King celebrate his 90th birthday, simultaneously supporting one of his many contributions to the community, the South End Technology Center at Tent City.

Mayor Martin J. Walsh; 9th Suffolk District state representative Byron Rushing and his wife, longtime community activist and former USES executive director Frieda Garcia; District 7 city councilor Kim Janey as well as her predecessor, Tito Jackson; South End Emporium owner Al Desta; and JazzBoston board president, Pauline Bilsky and board member, Don Carlson were among the well-wishers who numbered over 100, including four generations of the King family. Guests were treated to a buffet with various entrees, roasted vegetables, fried potatoes with onions and a beautifully decorated chocolate cake, the buffet prepared by student chefs from the culinary program at Madison Park Vocational High School and the cake created by a Madison Park culinary program alumnus.

The party had a warm, family atmosphere, with daughter Pamela King acting as emcee and King's youngest son, Jomo, also known as DJ PLush, set a lively tone for the party with upbeat '70s and '80s hits including The Pointer Sisters' "We Are Family", Kool and the Gang's "Celebration" and Manu Dibango's "Soul Makossa".

In acknowledgment of his achievements as the driving force behind the establishment of affordable housing at Tent City; a former state legislator and candidate for mayor of Boston; an MIT lecturer; and the founder and continuing head of the South End Technology Center, King was honored in word and in song.

In his remarks, Walsh lauded King for his leadership in housing and in inclusivity, and Janey said she was "blessed" to have known King all of her life, because her great grandmother was a neighbor of the Kings. She said that King's run for mayor of Boston, for which she volunteered as a young girl, taught her lessons for her own electoral career. Janey said it was inspiring to see a "strong, beautiful black man" running for the city's top office. Singer Danielle Ruffen serenaded King with one of his own poems, "I Want You to Sing My Song," which she set to music, and artist/vocalist Veronique-Anne Epiter saluted King with an emotional rendition of "You Raise Me Up," made popular by Josh Groban.

When King took the mic, he described the Melvin H. King Fab Lab at Madison Park, a fabrication studio that teaches students to operate "machines that create machines," such as 3-D printers, and praised the mayor for helping to obtain $250,000 for the program. At the end of his remarks, King led guests in chanting "Teamwork makes the dream work" and "Love is the question and the answer," the latter the title of his 2003 book of poetry.

At $90 per ticket, the benefit raised over $10,000, and according to Pamela King, Eastern Bank provided a $10,000 grant to the Tech Center. Fundraising will continue toward a goal of $90,000 for the technology center's operations and programming.

For more information on the South End Technology Center, please visit http://www.tech-center-enlightentcity.tv/.