On Feb. 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. once vocalized from the pulpit of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church that “everybody can be great because everybody can serve.”
The hundreds of George Washington University students who accepted that challenge to be great Saturday were also reminded of the late civil rights icon’s call for a “beloved community” where all are cared for, respected and treated as equals.
Speakers from GW’s student body, leadership, staff and even President Joe Biden’s outgoing administration kicked off GW’s 30th annual MLK Day of Service and Leadership, hosted by the Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service, by challenging the eager civic participants inside Lisner Auditorium to find empathy through service and come together to contribute to King’s vision of a beloved community.
“Days of service like this one are an important way that universities like GW deepen our partnership with the community as we help our students understand what it means to serve and connect with others to achieve a common goal,” said GW President Ellen M. Granberg. “This day of service is special, of course, because it is tied to Dr. King’s life of faith, courage, sacrifice and—above all—service to others.”
In his last official event as the CEO of AmeriCorps, a position to which Biden appointed him, Michael Smith relayed a message he had recently heard firsthand from Bernice King, MLK Jr.’s daughter and CEO of The King Center: that humans are “all in this together” and are “not just watching challenges from afar but owning them and the subsequent opportunities together.”
Smith, who has been a strong partner with GW throughout his time in the administration, draws inspiration from students who embody this idea of service. Throughout his time as AmeriCorps CEO, he’s seen what he believes is America at its best even amid partisan forces attempting to divide it, and he encouraged the audience to continue bridging gaps and finding humanity through service.
“Whether you’re teaching a child how to read when everyone else has given up on them or helping your neighbors rebuild after a fire or flood, service allows you to reclaim your own humanity as well,” Smith said. “I’ve seen so many inspiring people in this work.”
To close the opening program, Smith moderated a student panel with GW undergraduates Haleigh Chan, Brooke Moses, Bongani Ndebele, Lauren Patrick and Zoe Singleton. He asked them how they connect with King today, and the student panelists answered that they all have seen and lived his mission in their own service work they do at GW.
“When I think of the beloved community, I really appreciate how Dr. King emphasized the importance of brotherhood, sisterhood and recognizing the inherent value in each individual,” said Moses, a junior Milken Institute School of Public Health student who is a community engagement leader at Life Pieces to Masterpieces. “But it’s not just about recognizing individual worth—Dr. King also spoke about the change that we can make together.”
While King’s legacy of service to better society was passed down to these GW students, they are also motivated to hand that baton to the generations to come.
“It’s really important to recognize that the [modern] civil rights movement was not just a moment in time—it was a movement powered by young people,” said Singleton, a junior Columbian College of Arts and Sciences student who is active in the Civic Changemakers program and supports faculty in their community-engaged teaching through the Nashman Center. “And if you look at today’s world, it’s clear that young people are still driving change.”
GW, with its location in the heart of the nation’s capital, is uniquely positioned to offer students significant service platforms to continue King’s vision. Provost Christopher Alan Bracey said that beyond the service students performed Saturday, their scholarship as students at GW can also reflect King’s example and that as they continue to study, research and build scholarship, they will be better positioned to serve their community and world.
In her remarks, Granberg shared another opportunity for students to serve at GW, highlighting the pilot Humanitarian Internship Program, through which students will be able to gain firsthand, real-world experience as the change makers and pioneers the world needs “now more than ever.”
“In its focus on providing students with experience supporting humanitarian efforts, the project connects with the passions of GW students and faculty and offers the opportunity to engage directly with organized efforts to navigate and address the impacts of conflict, natural disasters and social inequities both at home and abroad,” Granberg said. “I can think of no better day than our Day of Service honoring Dr. King to share news of this pilot program with you.”
Students were dismissed to their sites after the program with a renewed sense of inspiration and motivation to civically engage with their communities.
“As you engage in your service projects today, reflect on the true why behind your actions,” said Vanice Antrum, the new director of GW’s Multicultural Student Services Center. “Don’t do it just because it’s something to do or for the photo op. Do it because you want to contribute to building the beloved community.
