Celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

NC State community:

Next week, we are proud to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. While classes are not in session Monday as the university observes a federal holiday, I encourage each of you to reflect on what this day means for you, for our university and for our society as a whole. Dr. King’s role in the civil rights movement remains undeniably important and relevant today — with a focus on the pursuit of equity and justice for everyone in our communities.

Dr. King wrote in his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” in April 1963, “We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right.” There are many opportunities to use your time creatively and intentionally this upcoming week — by giving back to others, learning more about Dr. King’s legacy or participating in one of the MLK Campus Commemoration events sponsored by the African American Cultural Center and Multicultural Student Affairs.

This year’s MLK Campus Commemoration theme is “Renaissance: An Awakening of Radical Love, Community Appreciation and Ancestral Gratitude.” Campus partners have collaborated on several events happening next week, a few of which are highlighted below. To learn more about these and other events, please visit this university calendar listing.

• “Beloved Community” Pop-Up Exhibit (Tuesday, Jan. 17-Friday, Jan. 20)
• Martin Luther King Jr. Campus Commemoration Keynote (Wednesday, Jan. 18, 3:30-5:30 p.m.)
• Food Justice and Racial Equity Roundtable Discussion (Thursday, Jan. 19, 6:30-7:30 p.m.)
• March Like Martin: Move! (Friday, Jan. 20, 12:30-2:30 p.m.)

However you choose to reflect, commit and celebrate next week, I encourage you to consider how you can embrace and advance the values of equity and inclusion in your lives and on our campus. Each of us contributes to our university’s overall culture and identity — our diversity is our strength. My hope is that we all work toward a more inclusive, welcoming and just environment for all who are part of our Pack, and for all whom we serve.

Thank you for all you do to build our community in positive ways.

In solidarity,

Sheri L. Schwab
Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity

This post was originally published in NC State News.