Hands of Service: LSU Honors MLK’s Legacy Through Community Engagement
BATON ROUGE, La. — LSU celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day by uniting students and community members to make a difference in Baton Rouge through its annual MLK Day of Service.
One of the service sites was the Family and Youth Service Center on Government Street, where volunteers spent the day cleaning outdoor spaces, moving furniture, and organizing food donations for the center’s food bank.
Before the work began, participants heard from Roxson Welch, the executive director of the Family and Youth Service Center. She emphasized the importance of their contributions and how the efforts would benefit the local community.
Hendrix Nelson, a participant and member of LSU’s Black Male Leadership Initiative, shared his motivation for volunteering.
“Being a young African American male, I definitely feel like I have some obligation and responsibility to give back to my community,” Nelson said. “Along with the fact that I am a new member of an organization called BMLI, which greatly inspired me to get out and do community service.”
The theme of this year’s event was engagement, reflecting a commitment to Dr. King’s legacy of community involvement and education. Donte’ Mackey, director of student engagement and impact at LSU, highlighted the significance of the day.
“When we examine the fabric of Dr. King’s message, we see the importance of education, the importance of community engagement, and the importance of service,” Mackey said. “This event aligns because it affords our students the opportunity to engage and interact with Dr. King’s legacy. His work extends well beyond his lifetime.”
LSU’s MLK Day of Service shows how small acts of unity can inspire bigger change, helping to build a stronger future for Baton Rouge and the Black community.
