Eastern Michigan University faculty, staff and students
explain "Why We Can't Wait," the theme of this year's Martin
Luther King, Jr. Day celebration. The University's 21st
annual celebration runs Jan. 11-17.
Keynote speaker Grace Lee Boggs will highlight the celebration.
 |
Boggs |
Boggs will present "This is the Time to Grow Our
Souls" at the President's Luncheon, Monday,
Jan. 15, 12:15-2 p.m., in the EMU Student Center Grand
Ballroom. Tickets for the luncheon are $28 for faculty
and staff, and $18 for students. Her keynote, which will
draw on the essay, "Thinking
Dialectically Toward Community," will be presented
at 3 p.m. in Pease Auditorium. Admission to the keynote
speech is free.
Boggs is an author, speaker and activist who has dedicated
more than 60 years of her life to political involvement
in some of the major social movements of this century,
including labor, civil rights, black power, Asian American,
women's and environmental justice.
Boggs, along with her husband and others, founded Detroit
Summer in 1992. Detroit Summer is a multi-racial, inter-generational
collective, working to transform the community by confronting
problems with creativity and critical thinking. Their current
projects include organizing youth-led, media arts projects;
community-wide potlucks, speak-outs and parties. Boggs
is currently active with the group, as well as the Freedom
Schoolers and the weekly Michigan Citizen.
"The 2007 MLK Day theme is 'Why We Can't Wait,' which
is based on Dr. King's seminal work of the same name," said
Jessica "Decky" Alexander, co-chair of the MLK Celebration
Planning Committee. "This year's programming has both breadth
and depth, and reflects what is going on in the EMU community
and the world beyond."
In addition to the luncheon and keynote address, many
events are scheduled leading up to MLK Day, and a few are
scheduled in the days after. The schedule is as
follows:
 |
KING'S LEGACY: MLK Day
events include an EMU
forum on Proposal 2 at
4:30 p.m. in room 310 A/B
of the EMU Student Center.
|
Thursday, Jan. 11
An EMU Forum on Proposal 2, 4:30 p.m., Room 310 A/B, Student
Center. How will Proposal 2 affect EMU? What will happen
to affirmative action? This forum will address such pressing
questions as well as other issues related to recent passage
of Proposal 2. Forum participants include: Representative
Alma Wheeler Smith; University General Counsel Ken McKanders;
Sharon Abraham, director of diversity and affirmative action,
and others.
The Black Student Organizational
Alliance (BSOA) presents
the annual UNITY dinner, 7 p.m., Room 310 A/B, EMU Student
Center. This event addresses issues relevant to the student
and African-American community.
Friday, Jan. 12
Color of Drums: Progress Through
Poetry, 8 p.m., Pease
Auditorium. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. The sixth annual celebration
of spoken word, movement and song features guest performers
Omari Kingwise and the Michigan Bhangra Team, Asian Twist
and Diversion Dance Troupe.
Saturday, Jan. 13
Hip Hop Explosion, featuring PWP, 8 p.m.,
Pease Auditorium. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. This talent showcase
— with students, faculty and staff — features performances
that reflect the value and spirit of Dr. King. Performers
include Black Honey, Diversion Dance Troupe, Billione and
more.
Sunday, Jan. 14
Nothing Said...A Celebration of Spirit
and Gospel, 4-7 p.m.,
Student Center Grand Ballroom. Victor Walker hosts the
event with special guests The Radical Praise, Joyful Children
of Praise, Lift Up Your Hand Ministries, God's Hands of
Praise, Victorious Life and more.
Monday, Jan. 15
MLK Day Celebration (All events are
in the EMU Student Center unless otherwise noted).
 |
FIT FOR A KING: A large crowd enjoys
breakfast
at last year's MLK Day
Celebration. This year's
breakfast, which
will include songs and spoken word
performances, takes place in room 310
A/B of the
EMU Student Center. |
Step, Song, Speech & Breakfast Activism,
8:15 a.m., room 310 A/B. Mistress of Ceremonies Janai Smith
and Master of Ceremonies Korey Mayes host this event, which
includes breakfast. Speeches will be given by Kalonji Ato,
Pat "DB" Williams
and Professor Jeffrey Bernstein. Hodan Said and Valerie
Nixon will present spoken word performances. Listen to
songs from Rayona Young and Corzetta Tillman, and watch
the step show performed by the UPHC Unity Step Team and
Diversion Dance Troupe with Pastor Avery Dumas III. For
more information, contact Darell Bright, dbright@emich.edu.
Progressive Poetry Project, coordinated
by Victor Walker, is scheduled 10 a.m., Kiva Room.
"Economic, Political and Social Justice" is scheduled
10 a.m., room 304. Panelists Mike Vogt, economics; Richard
Stahler-Sholk, political science; and E. Andreas Tomaszewski,
sociology, anthropology and criminology; will address economic,
political and social justice as it reflects Dr. King's
idea of justice.
 |
Fleming |
"Commitment to Community: Thomas A. Fleming" is scheduled
10 a.m., room 330. The Kellogg-Fleming Advisory Committee
presents a short documentary on the life and service of
Thomas A. Fleming, EMU alumnus and 1992 National Teacher
of the Year. A panel will discuss the importance of service
to our communities and ways to achieve it.
"Non-Violent Militants in Colonial Africa" is scheduled
10 and 11 a.m., room 302. Kwame Nkrumah will discuss the
liberation struggle of Ghana, a movement that used non-violent
civil disobedience to achieve independence from Britain.
He also will discuss the non-violent movement in South
Africa, as compared to that in Ghana.
"Are Gay Rights Civil Rights?" is scheduled
10 and 11 a.m., room 301. Is the LGBT community part of
the civil rights fight around race and ethnicity? Are we
all fighting for the same thing with a different voice?
"We Can't Wait to Teach the Children," is
scheduled 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., room 350. An exhibit and
presentation on books of African-American history, the
civil rights struggle and African-American achievers in
various fields will be followed by a discussion on why
it is important to expose children to such history and
personalities.
"A Story, Find Your Own Voice," is scheduled
10 a.m. and 11 a.m., room 352. This theatrical story presentation
is intended for young people. It was created by Sienna
Heights University and directed by Joni Warner, adjunct
faculty, and an EMU MFA candidate in drama/theatre for
the young.
 |
PERFORMING IN HARMONY: Members of
EMU's
CloseUp Theatre Troupe will
perform "For Tomorrow"
as part of its
annual MLK Day presentation. The
presentation takes place at 4:30 p.m. in
Pease
Auditorium. |
"Immigration: The New Civil Rights Issue," is scheduled
11 a.m., room 320. The department of social work sponsors
a discussion with Laura Martinez, BSW/MSW alumnus; Marian
Aborzahr, professor of social work; and Don Loppnow, provost
and vice president for academic affairs.
"Stories That Can't Wait: 6 Figures
Playback Theatre Company," 11 a.m., Kiva Room. Audience participants will be encouraged
to tell their stories of freedom, democracy, diversity
and justice. Audience members will cast their own story
and watch it unfold in front of them. Anita Rich and Carol
Pranschke, communication and theatre arts, coordinate the
event.
"What Did King Do? — A Roundtable Discussion,"
11 a.m., room 304. What are the reasons that Dr. King and
civil rights movements are so notable? What were their
accomplishments? Their failures? Professor Mark Higbee
and graduate students Kalonji Ato, LaTasha Hailey and Tyran
Steward will discuss.
"Why We Can't Wait – A Community Book
Discussion," 11 a.m.,
EMU Bookstore. A discussion on Dr. King's seminal work, "Why
We Can't Wait," is scheduled. For more information, contact
Victor Walker, vwalker1@emich.edu
CloseUp Theatre Troupe, 4:30 p.m., Pease
Auditorium. The CloseUp Theatre Troupe presents their annual
MLK Day presentation. This year's show is entitled "For
Tomorrow."
 |
REMEMBERING KING: A march and
candlelight
walk is scheduled Monday,
Jan. 15, 5:20 p.m., and
will start at Pease
Auditorium. |
March and Candlelight Walk, 5:20 p.m. Alpha Phi Alpha
coordinates a walk from Pease Auditorium to the EMU Student
Center. Following the march, there will be a reception
in room 300, EMU Student Center. This will be an opportunity
to mix, mingle and reflect on the week's events and the
life of Dr. King. Johnny Lawrence will provide music. For
more information, contact Greg Peoples at 487-0074 or gregory.peoples@emich.edu.
Tuesday, Jan. 16
Director Spike
Lee's film, "When the Levee's Broke," a
requiem in four acts, will be shown in the Halle Library
Auditorium featuring a discussion with Bankole Thompson,
editor of the Michigan Chronicle. The schedule is as follows:
acts I and II , 4-6 p.m.; discussion, 6-6:30 p.m.; acts
III and IV, 6:30-8:30 p.m.; and discussion, 8:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 17
"Unveiling the Truth: A Forum on Faith and Religion," is
scheduled 7 p.m., Room 352, EMU Student Center.
In the spirit of Dr. King, this forum will bring together
various people of differing faiths for dialogue and discussion.
Bayyinah Muhammad moderates.
For more information about EMU's MLK Day Celebration,
go to http://cot.emich.edu/mlk/ or e-mail mlk.committee@emich.edu
