Jan. 16, 2004
By Marisa Long
On Monday, Jan. 19, while the university is closed and classes are cancelled, Ohio University students, faculty and administrators will have the opportunity to commemorate the life of a very significant man, Martin Luther King Jr. The various events and volunteer activities provide different options on how to celebrate the holiday.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity will host its fourth annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. luncheon, "Coming Together for a Better Tomorrow: Networking and Diversity for the Future," at noon in the Baker Center Ballroom. The keynote speaker will be Ohio University alumnus Shelton Russell, the director of Minority Business Development at Port Columbus Airport. The cost for the event is $5 for students and $7 for non-students.
Following the luncheon, there is a march to Mt. Zion Church and a vigil commemorating the life and legacy of Dr. King.
At the Lindley Cultural Center, the Students Teaching About Racism in Society (S*T*A*R*S) will show a video, "How Biased Are You?" The video, which follows the march and vigil, examines the amount of bias that is present in today's society. The trained members of S*T*A*R*S will then process the video with participants in a discussion about diversity and racism in today's society. The event is open to the public, and admission is free.
"In years past, this has always proven to be a very interesting and educating discussion," says Jennifer Sprague, S*T*A*R*S president.
The Center for Community Service will host a Partners in Peace Festival. The event invites middle school students to participate in workshops that address school and conflict resolution. Students will also participate in a service project with Ohio University students, professors and community members. The festival will take place at McCracken Hall from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The center invites the Athens and Ohio University communities to participate in the service projects. The projects include making "love luggage" (painting and filling luggage to donate to Children Services foster children) and an "empty bowls" project (creating soup bowls to raise funds for hunger fighting organizations). Those interested in volunteering should contact the Center for Community Service at 593-4007.
"We have all of these amazing organizations that tap into the legacy of Dr. King's dream," says Lisa Patterson, assistant director of the Office of Multicultural Programs. "This is a day to give back to the community and connect with each other."
On Tuesday, the Lindley Cultural Center will present the Washington D.C.-based educational theater group Pin Points Theatre in the award-winning play, "The Meeting." The performance, a fictional portrayal of an encounter between Dr. King and Malcolm X, will take place in the Baker University Center Ballroom. The performance begins at 7 p.m., and admission is free.
Marisa Long is a student writer with University Communications and Marketing.
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