MLK Center to host MLK Legacy Week
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 23, 2022) — Starting this week, the University of Kentucky Martin Luther King (MLK) Center is commemorating its presence on campus as a space for advocacy and culturally-based education with the MLK Center Legacy Week.
This year's Legacy Week will celebrate both the closing out of January and MLK Day and continue as the university begins to celebrate Black History Month in February.
“The purpose of our initiative is to invite members from the UK community to engage in opportunities to find connections, community and embrace a culture that is truly rooted in Dr. Martin Luther King's philosophy of 'Building the Beloved Community,'” said Ja’Mahl McDaniel, MLK Center director.
The week of events includes the following:
- Sister Circle & My Brother’s Keeper semester kick-off | 4:30-6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24 | The Cornerstone
- The Martin Luther King Center and The Center for Graduate and Professional Diversity Initiatives welcome back My Brother's Keeper and Sister Circle participants to another semester. Join us as we engage in discussion, activities and provide updates about upcoming opportunities for the Spring 2023 semester.
- Becoming Self-Made: A Dinner Discussion Exploring Entrepreneurship (in partnership with NABA) | 5:30-7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25 | Room 307 (Woodward Hall), Gatton College of Business and Economics
- This is an opportunity for any student who is interested in entrepreneurship. Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, already have a business or are looking for a place to start, this event will allow participants an opportunity to network and ask questions with entrepreneurs from the Lexington community. This event is RSVP only and participants can access the link here: https://uky.campuslabs.com/engage/event/8677392.
- What’s In a Dream: Open Mic Poetry Night | 5:30-7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30 | Cat’s Den, Gatton Student Center
- As we continue to celebrate and acknowledge Martin Luther King's true dream, we invite poets and all to come join us for an evening where we ask participants to share their dreams, visions and aspirations through spoken word and poetry.
- Legacy Awards Luncheon | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2 | Harris Ballroom, Gatton Student Center
- Join the Martin Luther King Center as we celebrate the history and work of the center on campus with our second annual Legacy Luncheon and Awards. The luncheon serves as an intentional moment that highlights the past, reflects on the present and envisions the future of the MLK Center. As a part of the luncheon, we will also be honoring members of our community through the Living Legacy Awards. The Living Legacy Awards will be awarded to an undergraduate student, graduate student, staff or faculty member, and student organization who embody the spirit of King’s work and the legacy that he left for all of us. Registration is required: https://uky.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3JYSJGVWov3PGIK.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.