Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration
Your Life, My Life — One Horizon
Monday, January 21 to Friday, January 25
Monday, January 21
Annual Martin Luther King March in Downtown Erie
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., meet in Reed Union Building
Join the Association of Black Collegians (ABC) and other members of the campus community as they make their way to the city of Erie to participate in its annual MLK March. Everyone will meet in the Reed Union Building’s lobby at 11:00 a.m. and ride an EMTA bus to the site of the march. Individuals are also welcome to drive themselves. After the march, everyone will return to campus to attend the Campus Family Gathering.
Campus Family Gathering featuring documentary “Remixing Colorblind.”
2:30 to 4:00 p.m., McGarvey Commons
This film examines how the educational system shapes our understanding of race and race relations. It explores notions of implicit bias, individual racism, institutional racism, and reverse racism. It then addresses these concerns through conversations with faculty, administrators, teachers, guidance counselors, and young people across different types of institutions.
The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with the film’s producer and director, Dr. Sheena C. Howard. Dr. Howard is the immediate past chair of the National Communication Association Black Caucus and associate professor of communication at Rider University. She is an award-winning author, including a 2014 Eisner Award winner for her first book, "Black Comics: Politics of Race and Representation" (2013). She is also the author of "Black Queer Identity Matrix" (2014) and "Critical Articulations of Race, Gender and Sexual Orientation" (2014).
Community Service Projects
9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Carry on Dr. King’s legacy of service and civic engagement by volunteering with local community organizations on this national day of service. Registration opens January 1 on BEHRENDSync for students, faculty, and staff. For details, please visit BEHRENDSync or contact the Office for Civic Engagement at 814-898-6609 or via email at psbservice@psu.edu.
Tuesday, January 22
Documentary, “At the River I Stand, The Climax of the Civil Rights Movement”
Noon to 1:00 p.m., McGarvey Commons
This film skillfully reconstructs the two eventful months that transformed a strike by Memphis sanitation workers into a national conflagration. It disentangles the complex historical forces that came together with the inevitability of tragedy at the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
This documentary brings into sharp relief issues that have only become more urgent in the intervening years: the connection between economic and civil rights, debates over strategies for change, the demand for full inclusion of African Americans in American life, and the fight for dignity for public employees and all working people.
Wednesday, January 23
Yes, We C.A.N.
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., various locations
“Yes We Connect and Network” provides Penn State Behrend students and youth from the Erie community with the opportunity to meet and network. On this day, we will welcome a group of students from local high schools for a day filled with educational, cultural, and social activities facilitated by Behrend students. The event is presented by the Multi-Cultural Council, the Association of Black Collegians, the Organization of African and Caribbean Students, the American Association of University Women, the Human Relations Programming Council, the Office of Admissions, and the Office of Educational Equity & Diversity Programs.
Friday, January 25
Living the Dream
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., McGarvey Commons
A group of students from East Middle School will visit the campus and participate in a number of interactive activities with Behrend students, including learning about contemporary African dances and their origins. This event is presented by the Association of Black Collegians, the Organization of African and Caribbean Students, and the Dream Queens Dance Ensemble.
All events are free and open to the public. Questions may be directed to the Office of Educational Equity and Diversity Programs at DiversityBehrend@psu.edu or 814-898-7101.