King's courage inspires today
After months of hard work, James
Madison University graduate student Alan Jones (’12) is ready to
celebrate. As a program coordinator for
JMU’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
Week, Jones is feeling inspired by this year’s theme: “His Courage Will Not
Skip This Generation.” The theme was created
through the collaborative efforts of five student committees who brainstormed a
variety of different ideas that they believed would encompass King’s legacy and
how it relates to a contemporary world.
“Being African-American with a college degree and afforded the
opportunity to pursue higher education, it is a privilege to walk in the legacy
and dream that Dr. King left for everyone,” said Jones. “The theme demonstrates that as a generation
we have enormous shoes to fill. We still have a long way to go and it will take
courage from each of us to be that agent of change for future generations.”
Sponsored by the
Center for Multicultural Student Services and planned by student-led
committees, the week focuses on King's legacy of social justice, civic
engagement and community service.
"The whole week we should see the past, reflect on the present and
feel encouraged about the future," said CMSS Director Valarie Ghant.
One of the highlights
of the week is the March and Speak Out on Jan. 17. Ashley Stovall, a second-year graduate
student studying college student personnel administration, leads the student team
planning the March and Speak Out. Stovall
said that during the March, students will perform scenes to demonstrate what
King stood, lived and marched for. “At the end of the March,
we will have the Speak Out portion which gives students, staff and faculty a
safe place and opportunity to reflect on MLK, his impact and the contributions
he has made to us as a people,” she said.
The formal program will take
place in Wilson Hall on Jan. 21 at 7p.m.
This year’s keynote speaker, Marc Lamont Hill, Ph.D., was named one of
America’s top 30 black leaders under 30 years old by Ebony Magazine. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania,
Hill is now a successful mentor, television show host of “Our World with Black
Enterprise,” associate professor at Columbia University and award-winning
author. Hill is heavily involved with
his community and is a longtime social justice activist. “He is sort of a hip-hop Renaissance man,”
said Jones. “I believe students will
find him engaging, impactful and a phenomenal speaker.”
CMSS and the students
involved in the planning for the week think it is very important to celebrate
King’s legacy today. “What I want most for the
students that I work with is to be courageous—even in the small facets of their
lives. If we remember the big things MLK did, it shouldn’t be too hard for us
to make little steps towards that same vision,” said Stovall.
The community is
invited to join JMU in honoring King's work at the following events:
Jan.
14-18: Commons Days, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Monday through Friday on The Commons: Several student organizations sponsor booths
and events in the spirit of service embodied by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.;
activities include canned food and clothing drives, arts and crafts and other
philanthropic opportunities.
Jan.
16: Community Service, 3-5 p.m., Generations
Crossing Adult Day Care, Harrisonburg.
Jan.
17: March and Speak Out, 4-6 p.m.: Members of
the university community are asked to gather at 3:50 p.m. at the James Madison statue in front of Varner House for
the march through campus that ends in Transitions in Warren Hall. Along the route, participants will witness
several interactive scenes that depict past and present injustices that touch
the civil rights movement. During the
Speak Out, people are encouraged to share their reflections on King, his dream
and legacy.
Jan.
18: Community Service, 3-6 p.m., Second
Home Child Care Center, Harrisonburg.
Jan.
20: Unity University Sunday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.,
Transitions: Sponsored by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Delta Sigma Theta
Sorority Inc. and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.
Jan. 21: Formal Program, 7 p.m., Wilson Hall Auditorium: The program will
honor the life of King through words, drama and music. Keynote speaker Dr. Marc Lamont Hill is a hip-hop intellectual, mentor,
television show host, professor and journalist.
His thoughts on education, politics and culture have appeared in
multiple media sources.
Jan.
26: Community Service, 7 a.m.-5 p.m.,
Habitat for Humanity, Franklin, W.Va.
For more information contact
the Center for Multicultural Student Services at (540) 568-6636 or visit http://www.jmu.edu/multicultural.
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January 14, 2013
