Georgetown University is to commemorate the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by hosting a week of events across Georgetown’s campuses starting Sunday, Jan. 17. Through the MLK Week of Events, Georgetown seeks to continue the work of its “Let Freedom Ring!” initiative, which consists of its efforts to promote Dr. King’s legacy by greater incorporating his message into university events and classes. This week’s events include the MLK Day of Service put on by the Center for Social Justice (CSJ), the annual “Let Freedom Ring! Concert,” and discussions on inequality and social justice.
On MLK Day, Jan. 18, Georgetown is to host a range of events. These will include a daylong workshop on nonviolent resistance led by the Program for Justice and Peace and the “Let Freedom Ring! Concert,” which is set to feature Grammy Award-winning singer Yolanda Adams.
The concert will also feature the presentation of the John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award to Nakeisha Neal Jones (G ‘02). Both this year’s Award winner and previous winners “have each spent decades in service to others in the nation’s capital,” according to Brenda Atkinson-Willoughby, Georgetown’s Director of Partnerships and Community Engagement. “They have worked to address issues of socio-economic disparities by providing resources to meet basic needs, to ensure quality education for children and adults in distressed communities, and like this year’s honoree, work tirelessly to train and develop future public servants and social justice leaders.”
The events are to continue throughout the week. Patricia Grant, a Dean in the McDonough School of Business and co-chair of the MLK Planning Committee, explained the importance of having an array of events that extend beyond MLK Day itself. “[Dr. King’s] message is one of respect for all humanity and equity for the least of these. As One Georgetown, that resonates and has implications for individual and collective action,” she said. Dr. Andria Wisler, Director of the CSJ, touched upon another reason for that depth and breadth. “We want Dr. King’s message to touch each person on campus, even in some small way, since his dream is one we are all responsible for creating,” she said.
Other events on Main Campus include an Interfaith Service of Remembrance and Reconciliation in Dahlgren Chapel on Wednesday, Jan. 20, and a conversation on social justice with the four most recent Legacy of a Dream Award winners on Thursday, Jan. 21. There will also be bus trips to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial running throughout the day on Friday, Jan. 22.
Some members of the Georgetown community plan to serve others through the MLK Day of Service on Saturday, Jan. 23. A group of students, faculty, and staff is set to travel to Ward 7, part of southeastern D.C., and work with both the local community and Cesar Chavez Public Charter School for Public Policy. Dr. Wisler believed that students who participate in the Day of Service may become more inclined to serve others in the future. “Students often remark that MLK Day of Service shows them how ‘easy’ it is to get off the Hilltop and utilize their skills and talents… in the pursuit of a more just world,” said Dr. Wisler. She added that students also have opportunities to engage with over 100 different programs that the CSJ offers throughout the school year.
Maurice McCauley (SFS ’16), one of the student coordinators of the CSJ’s Day of Service, provided a similar assessment. “Community service is a great way to interact with diverse peoples, give back to our community, and also learn [and] grow in our own development as well,” he said. “Overall, I think MLK Day of Service is special in itself because we try to find those connections between the legacy of Dr. King and community building through service.”
Dean Grant also reflected on the importance of community service as a way of promoting Dr. King’s legacy beyond the week’s events. “Hoyas can’t wait for time to be available,” she said. “That will never happen on a campus as rife with opportunities to engage as Georgetown has. ‘Men and women for others’ requires men and women who care and then decide to do something about that concern.”
