A day of service and an awards ceremony are part of a weeklong celebration to commemorate civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
On Jan. 13, the university will honor seven GW community members— Cameron Bell, Brian Hawthorne, Adam Layne, Bianca Neri, Andres Lamar Smith, Catherine Zatorski and Mayra Espinoza — who exemplify the values and ideals of Dr. King with 2011 Martin Luther King Jr. Awards at a 4:30 p.m. ceremony in Dorothy Betts Theatre hosted by the Multicultural Student Services Center (MSSC).
“Dr. King is the epitome of leadership. He lived in a purposeful, principled and values-driven manner that inspired the world,” says MSSC Director Michael Tapscott. “This is what people should think about during this holiday, and the students and staff that we will honor are living reflections of Dr. King’s dream.”
To RSVP for the ceremony, contact the Multicultural Student Services Center at 202-994-7010 or [email protected].
Following the ceremony, PBS’ Tavis Smiley will host a conversation with eight thought leaders, including cofounder of The Huffington Post Arianna Huffington, on how the nation can return to greatness in “America’s Next Chapter” from 6 to 9 p.m. in GW’s Lisner Auditorium. The discussion will broadcast live on C-SPAN.
On Jan. 17, approximately 500 volunteers will team up to improve the District’s public schools in honor of the national Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. GW community members will visit several local schools in Southeast, including Ballou High School, MC Terrell Elementary School and Stanton Elementary School.
Other activities include an MLK Day of Speeches on Kogan Plaza on Jan. 18 and an oratory contest on Jan. 20. E-mail [email protected] for more information on these events.