Division News & Statements
National speakers highlight King Commemoration Week on campus
January 12, 2016
Two prominent speakers will highlight a week of campus events January 18-23 to commemorate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Touré will speak on Monday, January 18, at 1:30 p.m. in the Fieldhouse. He is a former NBC contributor and former MSNBC co-host of "The Cycle." A contributing editor to Rolling Stone and other publications, Touré is the author of several books, including "Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness? What It Means to Be Black Now."
On Wednesday, January 20, Patrisse Cullors will speak in the Kirkhof Center at 4:30 p.m. She is a Los Angeles-based social activist who, with two other people, started the movement #BlackLivesMatter in 2013, taking their inspiration from the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. Her presentation will be simulcast to an audience in the Eberhard Center.
Other events are detailed below, for more information, visit www.gvsu.edu/mlk.
• January 18 events, Kirkhof Center:
Monday's events begin with "Upcycling for Our Community" at 9:30 a.m. in the Kirkhof Center. Participants will create upcycled crafts that will be donated to local shelters; another session is planned for the afternoon.
At 10 a.m., students will perform testimonials from the 1992 Los Angeles riots following the Rodney King verdict. “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992” captures the identities of 36 famous, infamous and anonymous individuals linked to the aftermath of the Rodney King verdict. Michael Mueller, director and visiting professor of theater, said performing these excerpts during MLK Commemoration Week fulfills one of the primary goals of the show. Another performance is set for 2:30 p.m.
A free lunch will be served in the Grand River Room from 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. This will precede the silent march to the Fieldhouse for Touré's presentation.
Drop-In Readings are set from 2:30-4 p.m. Faculty and staff members will read from King's works then facilitate discussion.
• January 20, Kirkhof Center:
Cullors will lead a community workshop at 3 p.m., then give a presentation at 4:30 p.m. Her presentation will be simulcast to an audience in the Eberhard Center.
• January 21:
Teach-In, “Power, Privilege and Difficult Dialogues," sessions will be held from 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m. at different locations in the Kirkhof Center and the DeVos Center. Organizers said holding the Teach-In during commemoration week activities will deepen and advance social justice work that has been inspired by King.
• January 23:
MLK Day of Service and Solidarity, sponsored by the Community Service Learning Center, will run from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Volunteers will meet in the Kirkhof Center then travel to worksites; registration is required, visit www.gvsu.edu/service.
It will mark the fourth year that classes have been canceled on the King holiday, allowing more students, faculty and staff members to participate in events.
Touré will also speak on January 18 at the 30th annual Grand Rapids Community College program and on January 19 at Davenport University.
Campus sponsors for the week's events are College of Education, Community Service Learning Center, Disability Support Resources, Division of Inclusion and Equity, Enrollment Development, Office of Multicultural Affairs, Office of the President, Office of Sustainability Practices, University Communications, and WGVU Public Media.
Follow the week's events on social media using #GVSUMLK.
For More Information Contact: Michele Coffill in University Communications - (616) 331-2221
- See more at: https://www.gvsu.edu/gvnext/index.htm?articleId=51BC2D58-F563-DC9F-48026F8692B04F25#sthash.dW3fC6ND.dpuf