MLK Day of Service Monday, January 16th | 7:30am SMSU Upper Conference Center
The Office of Diversity & Inclusion, & Access Opportunity Success is proud to celebrate the 7th Annual MLK Day of Service event. This year’s event emphasizes & uplifts the unsung heroines of the Civil Rights Movement, African American women. Their tireless, strategic, & inspiring work to ensure the rights of African Americans to vote remains evident to this day.
Each year we celebrate the power of service in the name of social change, the power of service to further the cause, & the power of service in the name of God.
The MLK Humanitarian award was established to recognize active, meaningful & uplifting advocacy & service that aligns with Dr. King’s work to dismantle racial, economic, & social injustice. The award is presented by Jefferson Lee IV, the 2022 recipient.
This year, we recognize two individuals with the MLK Humanitarian Award for their service to the SMSU community and beyond. Dr. Richard Herder, professor of communication studies, and Mr. Montell Allen, founder of MBA Sports Recruiting.
We would like to extend our personal thanks and gratitude to everyone here celebrating with us today. We are especially grateful to our keynote speaker, Dr. Leslie McLemore, and vocalist Ms. Kimberly Brown.
“The time is always right to do what is right.” -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
WELCOME
EVENT SCHEDULE
BREAKFAST SERVICE BEGINS
7:30am Opening & Benediction
7:50am
Kimberly Brown: Lift Every Voice & Sing (Black National Anthem)
WELCOME MESSAGE
8:00am
Dr. Kumara Jayasuriya President of Southwest Minnesota State University
PROGRAM INTRODUCTION
8:10am Dr. Raphael Oyeaghala & Dr. Lori Baker Dean of Business, Education, Graduate & Professional Studies; Dean of Arts, Letters, & Science
8:20am
The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman 2021 Read By Ogochukwu Chudi-Igwe & Samiya Osman
MLK HUMANITARIAN AWARD
8:25am
Excerpt from Dr. King’s Speech, “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution.” Read by Cedric Williams, student in Business Management
8:30am Presentation of the MLK Humanitarian Award
Jefferson Lee IV, Director of ODI, AOS & MPP Dr. Erin Kline, Assoc. Director of ODI & MPP
8:40am Kimberly Brown: Her Song
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
8:50am
Keynote Introduction: Dr. Jeff Kolnick Professor of History
9:00am
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Leslie McLemore American civil rights activist, political leader & government scholar
CLOSING REMARKS
10:00am
Closing Song
Jefferson Lee & Dr. Erin Kline
Kimberly Brown: This Little Light of Mine
PLANNING COMMITTEE
Jefferson Lee IV
Diondre Green, ODI GA
THANKS
SPECIAL
SPONSORS Office of Diversity and Inclusion Access Opportunity Success Black Student Union African Student Association Office of Civic and Community Engagement Enactus
Dr. Erin Kline Sheridyn Runs After Dean Lori Baker Dean Raphael Onyeaghala Dr. Jeff Kolnick VOLUNTEERS Cedric Williams Ogochukwu Chudi-Igwe Samiya Osman
