The Office of Multicultural Affairs will host the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Celebration with a series of events beginning this week and ending Saturday, Jan. 29 with a day of service.
The celebration’s theme, “Scholarship, Leadership and Service: Definitive Steps for Social Change” aids in achieving the Office of Multicultural Affairs’ goal of forming a program that will bring together the University community with Southern University, Baton Rouge Community College and the city of Baton Rouge, said Collins Phillips, communication studies senior and co-chair of the Commemorative Committee.
He thinks this year will be better than last.
“We’ve moved back to the community this year to bring people out of the neighborhoods and have the highest student participation,” Phillips said.
As part of the changing program, the three participating universities will exchange trophies at the Unity Celebration at Southern University on tonight at 7 p.m, he said. The chancellor of each school and East Baton Rouge parish Mayor-President Kip Holden will be at the ceremony.
Each university will display the trophies on its campus to remind students of the commitment to unity, not just during the remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr., but during the entire year, said Tammy Sam, English and psychology senior and co-chair of the Commemorative Committee.
Barry Whittington, biological sciences sophomore, is looking forward to the speaker, Mary Frances Berry — former chairperson of the Civil Rights Commission and professor of American social thought at the University of Pennsylvania — who will deliver the keynote address at the Commemorative Celebration on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
“When a speaker comes, it’s an eye-opening experience,” Whittington said. “Usually, it’s an older person who shares their experiences with us.”
For Whitney St. Cyr, biology sophomore, the activities are an important part of remembering Martin Luther King Jr. because they “honor him for doing the things he did to make the world better, not just for one race, but for everybody.”