Jewel Daniels Author and public relations business woman Jewel Daniels - the keynote speaker of the Dr. Martin King Jr.'s Observance Day Business Community Breakfast - plans to remind Savannah's business leaders this week that they must be accountable in their communities.

Educators and community leaders often focus upon Dr. King as an individual leader. They forget that his father created a foundation for which he stood, Daniels said.

“I want to give a slightly different perspective on Martin and why he got involved in the civil rights community. When I was younger, I never remembered being taught that he came from a long line of leaders. His father was active in the church and the civil rights community before him. It showed me that we are all accountable as leaders,'' she said.

Daniels, 41, the president of Daniels Communications, will be making her presentation at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 16 at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center. Tickets are $30 and available for purchase at 1202 MLK Jr. Blvd. weekdays after 3 p.m.

The breakfast is just one of many activities sponsored by the committee. This year's theme: “A Dream of Change, A Future of Accomplishment,'' was written by Brittany Strobert, a senior at the Robert W. Groves High School.”

The association's events started on Dec. 13th when Joe Addison and Parnell M. Jones were selected Marshals for the upcoming parade with Johnny Drayton, a local civil rights activist. That event was followed by a gospel fest at First Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church and an Interfaith worship service at Asbury Memorial United Methodist Church. There will be a citywide Memorial Worship Service at 5 p.m. Jan. 17 at St. Paul C.M.E. Church, 1601 Barnard St.

“It's a joy to do it. It takes tremendous teamwork by the celebration committee and the board of directors, ''said Carolyn Blackshear, president of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Observance Day Association Inc.

Blackshear said she is excited that Daniels has agreed to be the business community breakfast speaker. “During this economic downturn, the business community needs every advantage possible to succeed,'' Blackshear said.

Daniels operates a company that provides corporate training and strategic marketing services to public and private agencies. Last year, she authored, “It Takes Tenacity, 15 Power moves to Survive the Wilderness and Weather the Economic Storm.”

She is a graduate of Hampton University and New York University's Public Relations Institute. She is an Adjunct Instructor at Savannah Technical College, a mother and wife.

Due to her commitment to minority business and cross-cultural alliance building, Daniels has been described by the Congressional Black Caucus as one of the “brightest thinkers in the world on topics of urgent concern to African Americans.”

As a speaker, Daniels has presented before Blacks in Government (BIG), the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Conference, the Savannah Chamber of Commerce, Divas United, the GWEN Conference, Women's Leadership Exchange, St. Croix Women's Business Center and other professional groups.

Tina A. Brown is a freelance journalist based in Savannah.