To honor the life and legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., United Black Students (UBS) and the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) will host Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration week.
The week commences on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 16, with a virtual giveaway on social media. The holiday is one of just three United States’ federal holidays to commemorate an individual. University students are encouraged to share examples of what King means to them on social media throughout the day. Tagging the UBS’ social media account automatically enters participants into a raffle to win a Bluetooth speaker.
On Tuesday, the University community is invited to attend MLK Week opening ceremonies on the Lakeside Patio at noon. Following remarks about King’s legacy from Ryan Holmes, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students, students will be invited to share their dreams on an art board. Various community service organizations will also attend to present opportunities in South Florida, in honor of King’s service-driven vision.
Planning these events helps members of UBS share King’s vision and legacy while inspiring their peers to use their voices in the community, according to Lauren Lennon, president of UBS.
“In this role, it’s great to be able to advocate for our community and to create opportunities where they’re not only accepted but appreciated,” said Lennon, a senior studying broadcast journalism and psychology. “We can help students feel like they have a support system on campus, especially in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and all he stood for. I think of it as a privilege.”
On Wednesday, the University community is invited to engage in an open discussion about critical race theory at the Center for Global Black Students at 4 p.m. University professors will discuss what critical race theory is, what it is not, and why it is relevant in higher education.
The week continues with events like a virtual networking opportunity in collaboration with the University of Miami Black Alumni Society, where students will be able to connect with Black alumni in various professional fields.
Students can attend a movie screening of “MLK/FBI” at the Cosford Cinema on Thursday at 8 p.m., co-sponsored by the Cinematic Arts Commission. Or they can partake in a social hour in the United Black Students’ office, on the second floor of the Shalala Student Center, on Friday at 1 p.m.
And, on Saturday at noon, students can give back to the community through service alongside Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Inc. and the Butler Center for Service and Leadership. Volunteers will participate in an on-campus community project to benefit In Jacob’s Shoes, a nonprofit group that provides South Florida children in need with shoes, socks, backpacks, and school supplies. To participate, students must register online.
The celebration week concludes on Sunday with a church service hosted at noon in the Shalala Student Center east ballrooms, followed by a silent march to the Rock Plaza—where King once spoke in 1966. King’s appearance at the University is commemorated at the plaza on a plaque dedicated by UBS in 2008.
“It is helping us solidify the history of racial justice on campus and at the University. A lot of students don’t even know that [Martin Luther King Jr.] came to campus. Planning [these events] helps us continue our legacy as an organization that represents and honors Black voices and students at the University,” said Asia Chester, a senior who is studying biochemistry and global health studies.
As vice president of UBS, Chester worked diligently alongside her peers to plan the week’s events. Kennedy Robinson, associate director of the MSA, is the advisor for the student leaders of UBS and continues to be inspired by King in her daily work.
“We carry his influence of service, of building community, of everything Martin Luther King Jr. was, in all the work we do through MSA. Watching his vision continue to move forward inspires me” she said.
Visit the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs for more details on MLK Celebration week 2023.
