Monday Morning Update

January 17, 2011

MLK Remembered: To commemorate Dr. King, members of the Stonehill community will gather at an interfaith peace service in the Chapel of Mary at 4 p.m. next Monday, January 24th. All are welcome. Below, we hear from students, an alumnus and the Intercultural Affairs Director on what Dr. King's legacy means to them.

Inspiration: For marketing major Janna Stanke '11, Dr. King paved the way for young activists by talking the talk and walking the walk. "The lesson I was most taught in school was about who Dr. King was; now, I am learning more about what he did and what his legacy inspires us all to do. I think he would be disappointed that so many of us see this occasion as a ‘day off' or a time to do errands."

Respect & Compassion: For political science major Chauncey Velasco '11, Dr. King's insistence on respect and compassion remains a powerful message. While he believed that people of all backgrounds should respect each other, "Dr. King also stressed that to build a community of trust, we must acknowledge differences and have the will to co-exist and share the fruits of our labors. The compassion that Dr. King often spoke about is the key to reaching out to disadvantaged peoples of our world."

Persistence: Chair of SGA's Diversity Committee Katrina Organ '11 says, "Dr. King's message that means the most to me is persistence. Social justice work requires persistence. We need reminders that we should never give up fighting for equality for all people. MLK Day is one such reminder. He brought about change with his persistence. He maintained hope for the future and had faith in progress. An extraordinary person, he remains a beacon of hope in a world that still needs much improvement."

Accessing Opportunity: For the Director of Intercultural Affairs Liza Talusan, Dr. King's statement of color blindness is of great interest as "his teaching wasn't about removing color but about making changes so that we can all have access to the same opportunities. He would be disappointed to hear that his message has been whittled down to a single phrase of ‘content of character and not color of skin' rather than taken in context from the rest of his teachings, writings, sermons and speeches."

Strides & Setbacks: If Dr. King were alive, notes Johannes Tesfai '10, he would be amazed at the strides America has made in terms of racial equality. "The younger generation is more receptive to change and across races and ethnicities there are more friendships and relationships than ever. Sadly, the gap between rich and poor continues to grow, in America and globally. Dr. King would want us to continue to fight economic injustices today but through peaceful measures and with modern tools such as the internet, social networking, and global networks. These measures can spark a global rights movement that promotes equality for all."

For more on events in honor of Dr. King at Stonehill this week, visit here. 

Contact

For more information, contact Communications and Media Relations at 508-565-1321.