By Ronda Racha Penrice
At times looking back does us some good. This year’s MLK Weekend in Atlanta was a good time for reflection. And, looking back, the 2016 Toyota Prius was definitely good as well.
I knew the Prius would be a smooth ride and, of course, amazing on mileage. But stylish? No. But yes! All white, excuse me blizzard pearl, with accents of subtle grey, um, s-cool granite, the 2016 Toyota Prius Four Touring took my breath away. And I am not exaggerating. The interior looked like a Stormtrooper. Like really it did. The seats were gently washed in grey, with snatches of black. Same with the center console and steering wheel. It’s truly the Star Wars edition and we know how that’s brought the world together.
My first stop in the Prius was a book signing for Coretta Scott King’s memoirs, My Life, My Love, My Legacy. I didn’t even know the book was in the works prior to MLK weekend, but Scott King is so deserving. Most people have no idea that she was doing her part for civil rights before she met her husband. In fact, we celebrate her slain husband largely because of her, since she was relentless in building the King Center and establishing the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday.
Saturday was gala day. Every year the King Center throws the Salute to Greatness dinner, and Joseph Lowery, a King comrade who was also prominent at Obama’s first inauguration, was an honoree with Ambassador Andrew Young presenting him. The room at the Hyatt Regency was packed and it looked beautiful. Dr. King’s daughter Bernice A. King, who heads the King Center, was a steady force throughout the evening.
Although the night ended well, I started it a bit miffed. I whipped the Prius into the Hyatt Regency at the urging of an attendant only to have them tell me the garage was full and they couldn’t valet. But why didn’t they tell me this when they were waving me into the pit? And because the Falcons were playing the Seahawks and a convention was in town, parking was astronomical. So finding a temporary home for the Star Wars Prius wasn’t easy. And, when I did, I had to walk a few blocks to get back to the hotel, but the event, with other amazing honorees, including Edward James Olmos, lifted my spirit as it always does.
[Images: Ronda Racha Penrice]
Now Sunday was light. I did take in the King Birth Home, which was re-opened just in time for the big weekend. It’s always a great tour. To stand in the house where Dr. King lived as a little boy is kind of surreal. Most of the day, however, was spent with a good friend at her annual brunch and watching the game to see who would face off against the Falcons. Afterwards another bruncher marveled at the Prius. Its flyness was as impressive to other people as it was to me.
Now Monday was the big day. I watched a lot of the early King program on television (this is an annual tradition in Atlanta) so I caught Bernie Sanders and Father Michael Pfleger, along with many, many others, including Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Tyrese, who revealed that he was originally set to play Dr. King in Selma and, because of that, brought the King siblings back together.
The Prius and I did make our way to the King Historic District. But I had to make a quick stop at CVS first and, when I came out, I found a young woman and her mother mesmerized by the Prius. They actually didn’t know what kind of car it was, so I let them look inside before I continued on. Saturday when I succumbed to a McDonald’s fry craving, the guy who took my money also marveled at it. He knew it as a Prius, but was super surprised by the stunning look.
Even though there were a lot of people out for the King holiday, I thought parking would be easy since the National Park Service has a dedicated parking lot, but that was good and packed too. I waited it out and got a lovely spot for the Prius. On foot, I headed toward Ebenezer Baptist Church and was able to catch a little of the parade. I also met up with a college classmate and her sister and we grabbed a quick bite at Mother on Edgewood. They shared their experience of touring the birth home and Ebenezer Baptist Church, King’s spiritual home.
After leaving them, I headed to the King Center for a special dialogue moderated by ABC’s Byron Pitts. There was an interesting round of discussions with a variety of panelists. One particularly provocative discussion featured former high-ranking KKK member Scott Shepard, Bernice King, and Daryl Davis, who has befriended Klan members and persuaded them to leave. King admitted to feeling hate towards white men because of her father’s murder and working through that. Shepard discussed his feelings of disgust about once being a part of the KKK. On a previous panel, Davis talked about how he got into this work.
That certainly ended the weekend on an interesting note. The next day a Toyota representative retrieved the Prius but, like the weekend itself, it also left a lasting impression. The Prius Four Touring gets 52 mpg and hits just at $32,935, even with the JBL speakers.
A smooth ride with great pick-up, with amazing gas mileage? I call that winning. And so it is with the visionary wisdom of Dr. King.
[Images: Ronda Racha Penrice]