Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Day: Restoring Hope & Dignity

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Hendy Matahelemual was born and grew up in Bandung, Indonesia, and graduated from Parahyangan Catholic University. He worked in the music entertainment industry and a law office before being called to full-time ministry. He served as a pastor in Elshaddai Creative Community, in Bandung, before coming to the United States. Hendy received an M.A. in Christian leadership from Eastern Mennonite Seminary in 2019. He serves with Mosaic Mennonite Conference through his role as associate pastor at Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) Praise Center. Hendy lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Marina, and their three boys.

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Originally from Ecuador, Blanca Pacheco is a community organizer with over 20 years of experience organizing interfaith immigrants and ally communities for immigrant rights. Blanca is a New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia founding member and is currently leading programs and campaigns as co-director. Over the years she has worked on storytelling projects with different immigrant communities to empower, build connections and lift immigrant voices. 

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Hani White is an Indonesian Immigrant who has called Philadelphia her home for the past 23 years. She is an economic development professional with more than 17 years of experience in asset building, business development, and financial management.

Hani is an active community organizer who currently serves on the Board of the Indonesian Diaspora Network (IDN) of Greater Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Police Asian American Advisory Committee.

From 2015-2019, Hani was appointed to Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf’s Advisory Commission on Asian American Affairs. Her years of involvement and experience has earned her many awards.

Currently Hani helps many families in their personal finance through College Planning, Retirement Planning, Estate Planning, Debt Management and Insurances through her Financial Literacy Education Programs. 

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Cherelle Moore (she/her), a native Philadelphian has pursued a career in employee experience, criminal justice and DEI with a vision to create safe, inclusive, and equitable spaces where they can thrive, feel valued as their whole, authentic selves and recognize their identities as reflectors of Christ.

Cherelle currently serves as the Director of DEI at The Philadelphia Inquirer, working on building equitable internal culture, partnering with Philadelphia’s communities, and supporting dignifying coverage. Cherelle champions a DEI approach that is human-centered, data-driven, and informed by continuous feedback and a commitment to lifelong learning. Cherelle resides in Philadelphia’s West Oak Lane section with her husband and son and is a member of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church.

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Solomon Jefferson is a graduate of Wilmington University in Georgetown, DE (B.S., Criminal Justice), Palmer Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and presently a student at Eastern University pursuing a Doctorate in Marriage & Family Therapy.

Solomon is a case manager at Project Home and serves in other capacities. Solomon enjoys ministering to people with addictions and the prison population, including being a pen pal to inmates in Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania.

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In his art, John Lewis works with form, narrative and symbolic elements. He sees each of these factors as having an emergent quality that comes to the forefront of the art, each in its time and in its own way.

He attended the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art from 1994 to 1996 in New York City, where he studied drawing, painting and sculpture. I have worked as a muralist for the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, completing dozens of public art projects in and around Philadelphia. He currently freelances as a muralist and portrait artist.

Yvonne's contribution to criminal justice reform is selfless. Not only does she fight for the freedom of her daughter, but also for the countless men and women serving death by incarceration sentences. Ms. Yvonne retired after thirty-one years of service at Pennsylvania University Hospital.  Her many contributions can be demonstrated in her work with grassroots organizations such as the Coalition to Abolish Death By Incarceration (CADBI), Pennsylvania Prison Society, and Human Rights Coalition (HRC) to name a few. Yvonne is a co-partner of the Freedom Dog Fund a fund that helps lifers access basic necessities through commissary support. Many lifers lack family or outside financial aid—your donations provide dignity and hope. Since partnering, the Freedom Dog Fund has awarded over 45 incarceration people funding, for hygiene produces and necessities.

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Thoai Nguyen, CEO of SEAMAAC since 2005, is a first-generation Vietnamese refugee. A long-time community organizer and an advocate for the civil and human rights of all people, Thoai has worked on advocacy, community organizing and community development projects to address the environmental, economic and social inequities in many communities in Africa, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, Central America, the United States and Mexico. Most recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Thoai led the hunger relief and voter protection efforts at SEAMAAC to address over 500,000 unique instances of food insecurity in marginalized households and reached more than 40,000 BIPOC voters who were targeted for voter suppression and intimidation, and from being counted in the 2020 Census.

Thoai was a recipient of the Thomas J. Watson Foundation Fellowship in 1988 and the Charles Bannerman Fellowship in 1995.  He was a 2008 recipient of the Harvard Business School Asian American Alumni Association’s scholarship, and has been honored by Bread & Roses, Penn Asian Senior Services (PASSi), Social Innovations Journal, 6ABC News and HIAS PA for his anti-poverty, immigrant rights and social justice work. Since 2008, Thoai has served as Commissioner for five City Commissions under Mayors Nutter and Kenney.

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Chi is a gifted vocalist who effortlessly blends the heartfelt passion of gospel with the smooth grooves of R&B, creating a soulful sound that resonates with audiences of all ages. With a voice that exudes warmth, power, and grace, Chi has been the soundtrack to countless weddings, special events, and celebrations, bringing moments to life with her extraordinary talent.

Whether performing a romantic ballad for a wedding ceremony or delivering a heartfelt gospel hymn, Chi’s performances are always memorable, leaving an indelible mark on every occasion. Known for her professionalism, versatility, and genuine love for music, Chi works closely with clients to ensure each performance is tailored to their vision.

With years of experience and a reputation for excellence, Chi is more than a singer—she is a storyteller, using music to celebrate love, faith, and the beauty of life’s most cherished moments.