Acclaimed Actor Lou Gossett, Jr. to Headline 17th Annual "Celebrate the Dream" Birthday Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Event Will Feature Music by James Grear & Company and the Nu Friends Community Choir

MINNEAPOLIS -- Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC) will present "Celebrate the Dream," its 17th annual birthday tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, Jan. 15 at 7:00 p.m. at the Basilica of Saint Mary, 16th and Hennepin, Minneapolis. The keynote speaker will be acclaimed actor Lou Gossett, Jr. Gospel musical presentations will be performed by James Grear & Company and the Nu Friends Community Choir and the acappella youth group 4Given. Roxane Battle will emcee the event, which is free and open to the public. Sponsors include Target, the Star Tribune, KMOJ radio, and the MCTC Foundation. Over 1,500 people are expected to attend the event.

"This annual celebration honors the man whose vision inspired what we do every day at MCTC," said Phil Davis, president, MCTC. "Dr. King's dream of equality is at the root of our commitment to providing a good education for all the people of our community. The 'Celebrate the Dream' event commemorates Dr. King's legacy and reminds all of us that we still have work to do to fulfill his dream."

"This is the 12th year Target has supported Minneapolis Community and Technical College's 'Celebrate the Dream' birthday tribute," said Laysha Ward, vice president, community relations, Target. "As a company, we are dedicated to celebrating diversity and practicing Dr. King's values of equality, respect and commitment to community responsibility. We continue to honor his legacy through volunteerism and community giving in the Twin Cities and across the country."

Keynote speaker Lou Gossett, Jr., a renowned and veteran actor, is still much sought-after in the film and television industry for his unique talent portraying powerful and charismatic characters. He has won a number of coveted awards, including an Oscar, Emmy and Golden Globe. Gossett first gained recognition with his prestigious Broadway role opposite Sidney Poitier in A Raisin in the Sun and as star in the film version of the play. In 1977, Gossett won an Emmy for his role as "Fiddler" in the historic television mini-series, Roots. In 1982, he won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of a military sergeant in An Officer and a Gentleman.

Gossett's passion for his work is matched only by his strong belief in helping others by giving back to the community. He serves as a spokesperson and behind-the-scenes leader for many charitable organizations. He is currently developing a nonprofit foundation, The Eracism Foundation, with the aim of producing entertainment that brings awareness and education to issues such as racism, ignorance and social apathy.

"Celebrate the Dream" will feature musical performances by the award-winning James Grear & Company and the Nu Friends Community Choir. James Grear & Company is a gospel vocal ensemble. The group's debut project, Don't Give Up, took the industry by storm with more than 30 weeks on both the Billboard R&B and Gospel Charts. They have since completed three other albums with more than 40 weeks on the Billboard Charts. The group has been featured on soundtracks for three major movies and has shared the stage with gospel industry greats from Kirk Franklin and Donnie McClurkin to Kim Burrell and Shirley Caesar.

Nu Friends Community Choir was formed in 2003 by Dr. James Grear. The choir is made up of people from across the Twin Cities. Under the leadership of Grear, the choir quickly developed a wonderful sound and family atmosphere. In 2004, the choir did a live recording entitled James Grear and Nu Friends Live.

4Given is the fastest growing acappella youth group in the Twin Cities and in the Midwest. The four siblings--Martin, Mariah, Mikal and Morgan--who comprise the group, are touching audiences young and old with their incredible vocal talent.

About MCTC:

MCTC is the most ethnically diverse college in Minnesota. A member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System, MCTC offers students a comprehensive liberal arts curriculum and more than 60 career and occupational programs designed to prepare people for good jobs in high-demand professions. Located in downtown Minneapolis, MCTC enrolls more than 11,000 students annually and is an active partner in initiatives designed to strengthen the social, economic and cultural vitality of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. For more information, visit http://www.minneapolis.edu.

About Target:

Target gives more than $2 million each week to strengthen families and communities across the nation, with a focus on education, the arts, social services and other vital community partnerships. Target celebrates diversity all year long through its Dream in Color campaign, which recognizes the history and heritage of the many diverse communities that make up the world today. In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Black History Month, Target is sponsoring special programs and events throughout the country to encourage all to Dream in Color. In addition, Target's nationwide network of team members and retiree volunteers donate over 315,000 hours to more than 7,000 community-based projects each year.

About the Star Tribune:

The Star Tribune is a news and information company serving the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. The Star Tribune newspaper is one of the top 20 largest newspapers in the nation, with an average daily circulation of 371,258 and an average Sunday circulation of 621,841 (per Audit Bureau of Circulations audit for 52-weeks ending 03/26/06). The company's website, www.startribune.com, is the most frequently used local news and information service for the Twin Cities market.

Note to media: A news conference will be held at 4:30 p.m. prior to the event at the Basilica of Saint Mary in the Sacristy. The news conference will feature Lou Gossett, Jr.; James Grear & Company will perform a song; and Phil Davis, president, MCTC, will speak. For more information, contact Ann Freeman at 612-659-6222 or 612-710-3437.