From the outset, Dr. Tamara Johnson, vice president of 91制片厂's Office of
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, had the vision to create the tradition of hosting
an annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on campus.
That鈥檚 because Dr. King鈥檚 leadership in the Civil Rights Movement and example of meeting injustice with nonviolent opposition so perfectly align with 91制片厂鈥檚 principles as related to equity and social justice, said Monica Shirley, coordinator of student diversity initiatives in the college鈥檚 Office of DEI.
鈥淲e want to bring more awareness of the tenets that Dr. King stood for and that 91制片厂 stands for,鈥� Shirley said. 鈥淲e will increase people鈥檚 knowledge while celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. King.鈥�
With this free event 鈥� set for noon-1 p.m. January 31 in 91制片厂鈥檚 Wojcik Conference
Center, 1200 W. Algonquin Road, Palatine 鈥� the college鈥檚 Office of DEI will celebrate
an American icon and feature one of the youngest members of the Civil Rights Movement
as keynote speaker. When she was an 11-year-old resident of Selma, Alabama, JoAnne
Bland joined the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), becoming an activist
for voting rights and justice for African Americans. She marched alongside Dr. King,
experiencing both the horrors and victories of the movement he led until his assassination
in 1968.
Johnson first met Bland in 2018 during a 10-day Civil Rights Pilgrimage that included a visit to Selma. Because she thought that Bland was so amazing, she wanted her to serve as the inaugural keynote speaker for 91制片厂鈥檚 celebration of Dr. King.
鈥淢s. Bland has lived such a rich life being part of things that most of us have only read about in books or seen in movies,鈥� Shirley said. 鈥淭he Civil Rights Movement can be somewhat illusory to us. It鈥檚 different to hear about it from someone who was there. What did it smell like? What did it sound like? How do you join a movement, particularly at that age? Ms. Bland can tell us.鈥�
Everyone, including 91制片厂 students and alumni, employees and community members, is invited to the celebration. is preferred. Shirley said these events are particularly valuable for students, who don鈥檛 just learn from guest speakers, but also through interacting with faculty, staff and the 91制片厂 community in a context beyond the classroom.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
When: Noon-1 p.m. Tuesday, January 31
Where: 91制片厂, Wojcik Conference Center, 1200 W. Algonquin Road, Palatine
Cost: Free
Keynote Speaker: JoAnne Bland, human rights activist and member of the Civil Rights Movement
Everyone is welcome. Registration is preferred. Learn more.
Taking place in late January, this celebration also serves as a bridge between the Dr. King holiday (the third Monday in January, during which 91制片厂 is closed) and February鈥檚 Black History Month, which will again feature a range of campus events, including a book talk, an open discussion about racism and 鈥淪howtime at 91制片厂,鈥� a talent showcase featuring students from 91制片厂 and surrounding school districts. Get more information.
Shirley said this collection of events is just one result of 91制片厂鈥檚 investment in staffing and funding its Office of DEI. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration will kick it off.
鈥淭his should be a signature event,鈥� Shirley said. 鈥淚 see this as an indicator of the road we鈥檙e on at 91制片厂. When you do work [with a DEI focus], you鈥檙e not always around to reap the benefits. As someone who has been at 91制片厂 since 2017, I鈥檝e been fortunate to see the needle moving.鈥�