DETROIT ARSENAL, Mich. -- A large crowd gathered in the Detroit Arsenal auditorium last month to hear Ayanna D. Jones, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney of Michigan's Ingham County Prosecutor's Office, who was the guest speaker at this year's annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. The theme for this year's program was "Remember! Celebrate! Act! A Day On, Not a Day Off!"

Mistress of Ceremonies Barbara Stallworth welcomed the audience and introduced Luis Miguel (Mike) Acosta from the Intellectual Property Law Division who sang the National Anthem, and TACOM LCMC Command Chaplain, Lt. Col. Stephen P. DeMien, who delivered the invocation. She then introduced TACOM LCMC Deputy Chief of Staff for Human Capital, Timothy Tarczynski, who introduced the guest speaker.

The audience listened attentively as Jones spoke about the life and work of Dr. King and its impact, not only on our nation as a whole, but also on herself personally. "All of us are able to be in this room together today because of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.," she said. "I am able to say that I am a prosecutor today because of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." She cited numerous quotes from King's speeches and writings including one of her favorites, which she used to conclude her remarks. "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

Jones has worked as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for almost nine years. During this time, she has worked in the family, district and circuit courts. She has handled thousands of cases from misdemeanors to capital offenses. She has also received specialized training in conducting forensic interviews of children and in the prosecution of arson cases. Jones is the only minority female prosecutor for Ingham County and has been for the past eight and a half years.

Jones has a passion for an improved educational system for our Nation's youth and has participated in various programs that expose students to professional careers. She has been a member of the American Inns of Court, a national organization whose Mission is to foster excellence in professionalism, ethics, civility, and legal skills. She has also served on the State Bar of Michigan Justice Initiatives Equal Access Committee, in which the goal is to assure that an increasingly diverse and unrepresented group of court users have meaningful access to all components of the Michigan judicial system in light of changing demographics and diversity.

TACOM LCMC Commander Maj. Gen. Michael J. Terry presented a two-star note to Jones at the conclusion of her speech and expressed his appreciation to her for coming and sharing her message with the TACOM LCMC teammates.