Keynote speakers announced for MLK Week

Two national personalities will highlight Grand Valley's commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Week with keynote presentations in January.

Kevin Powell, author, humanitarian and president of BK Nation; and Kimberlé Crenshaw, professor of law at UCLA and Columbia and civil rights expert, will visit campus January 16 and 18, respectively.

Powell will give an address in the Fieldhouse at 1:30 p.m., following a silent march on the Allendale Campus. His organization, BK Nation (Building Knowledge), centered on grassroots activism, pop culture, technology, and social media to spark projects and campaigns. He has written 12 books, the most recent is "The Education of Kevin Powell: A Boy’s Journey into Manhood." 

Crenshaw is known for coining two terms — critical race theory and intersectionality — that have proved foundational in many areas of study. She is a leading voice in calling for a gender-inclusive approach to racial justice interventions, having spearheaded the Why We Can’t Wait Campaign and co-authored "Black Girls Matter: Pushed Out, Overpoliced and Underprotected," and "Say Her Name: Resisting Police Brutality Against Black Women."

Her presentation will be at 4:30 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center, it will be simulcast to the DeVos Center, Loosemore Auditorium.

With the theme, "Engaging and Empowering Community," the campus' 2017 commemoration of King's life and legacy will be the fifth year classes have been canceled on the King holiday, allowing for more students, faculty and staff members to participate in events.

Visit www.gvsu.edu/mlk for details on the rest of the week’s events.