"Love and Serve"

From Kenyon News - January 16, 2014

The drumbeat of racial equality and justice will be heard at Kenyon during a week-long celebration of the life of Martin Luther King Jr. that begins on Saturday, Jan. 18, with a day of service.

The theme for King-related events is "Drum Major for Justice: Servant Leadership and Political Action" and includes the annual Day of Dialogue on Monday, Jan. 20, and a panel discussion on King’s politics hosted by the Kenyon Center for the Study of American Democracy (CSAD) on Wednesday, Jan. 22.

Ivonne M. Garcia, chairwoman of the event planning committee and associate professor of English, said the goal of the celebration each year is to connect the King legacy with contemporary times. “We thought it was important to think about the idea of a drum major for justice as the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and the thing we want to think about for the future. The idea of a drum major for justice is beautiful.”

A day of service, on Saturday, Jan. 18, is being introduced this year for students, faculty and staff as part of the King celebration. Volunteers will offer a helping hand at the overnight homeless shelter Winter Sanctuary of Knox County, Hospice of Knox County, and on campus.

“The theme is servant leadership, and we wanted to bring that theme full circle,” said Lacey Filkins, who has organized the service day as assistant director of new student orientation and community programs. “Serving the community is a big part of being an activist.”

Monique Jernigan, assistant director of multicultural affairs and a member of the planning committee, said it’s important to consider the King holiday “a day of, not a day off.” She added, “This is a legacy worth remembering, a legacy of giving back to the community, of getting together as a community, as a campus, regardless of one’s culture or background.”

Here is the schedule of free events:

• Service Day, Saturday, Jan. 18, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Service volunteers will meet at the Horn Gallery at 1:30 p.m. Transportation is provided.
• Celebration Breakfast, Monday, Jan. 20, 9 a.m., co-sponsored with Mount Vernon Nazarene University (MVNU), at Ariel Arena on the MVNU campus. Keynote speaker is Linette Porter-Metler, community relations director for the Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County. The breakfast is free but places must be reserved by calling 740-397-9000, extension 4600, or 740-427-5846.
• Day of Dialogue, Monday, Jan. 20, 3:10-5:30 p.m., Rosse Hall. Keynote speech by Renee Romano, associate professor of history at Oberlin College, who will discuss "Mobilizing Memory: How We Remember the Movement and Why It Matters." The Day of Dialogue also includes an interactive, audio-visual sharing of personal narratives by members of the Kenyon community. 
• “Activism and Political Engagement” will be hosted by Wendy Singer, Roy T. Wortman Distinguished Professor of History, and Daniel Rodriquez, Mellon post-doctoral fellow in international studies, with Camilo Viveiros, director of Rhode Island Jobs with Justice, and Jeff Singer, retired president of Health Care for the Homeless, on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 11:10 a.m. at the Community Foundation Theater, Gund Gallery.
• A viewing of the 1994 documentary Freedom on My Mind, about voter-registration efforts in 1960s Mississippi, and dinner for Kenyon students will be hosted by Kenyon President Sean M. Decatur on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 5 p.m. in the Leach Dining Room, Peirce Hall.  Students must register in advance.
• CSAD hosts a panel discussion about the contemporary relevance of the “I Have a Dream” speech and the “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m. in the Community Foundation Theater. With a title of “Equality for All: The Declaration of Independence and Martin Luther King Jr.,” the panel will include Pamela Jensen, professor emerita of political science; Ric Sheffield, professor of sociology and legal studies; Kathleen Tipler, visiting assistant professor of political science; and students Jonathan Green ’14 of Charlottesville, Va., and Gabriel Rom ’14 of New York City.
• Discussion on “Interfaith Reflection on Social Justice,” Thursday, Jan. 23, 11:10 a.m., Leach Dining Room, Peirce Hall. The conversation is open to all and will be led by Hillel Director Marc Bragin; Liz Keeney of the Board of Spiritual and Religious Life; student Rebecca Ogus ’14 of Beaufort, N.C.; Royal Rhodes, Donald L. Rogan Professor of Religious Studies; Professor of Religious Studies Vernon Schubel; Erin Salva, director of student accessibility and support services.