Anderson University celebrated the 45th Martin Luther King Jr. Day with the theme “Thy Kingdom Come” on Monday in the Reardon Lobby. Organized by several campus organizations including the Center for Intercultural Engagement, the celebration highlighted the connection between the Bible’s call to racial equality and inclusion and MLK’s dream for the nation. Participants from the AU community joined with the larger Anderson community at the Paramount Theatre for a citywide celebration and a call to action.
The celebration began at the Reardon Lobby, where AU staff and students were joined by the organization The Village and students from Anderson High School to participate in a series of conversations about MLK’s life, legacy and values organized by Brian “B” Martin, the director of the Center for Intercultural Engagement. “MLK Day remembers someone who was used by God to help our nation seek God, treat one another with love, and welcome those of different ethnic backgrounds,” stated Martin, “My dream is to recognize that we are a multicultural community who God wants to be a light to the world by demonstrating God’s kingdom on Earth through our love for each other.”
Participants reflected their sentiments about MLK’s powerful speech “I Have a Dream”, his life, and his background at the gathering in Reardon Lobby. “Even if he isn’t alive, his dream lives on,” affirmed the International Student Association co-president and senior computer science major Emmanuel Garang, “I’m happy to be alive in this time to reflect back on what he stood for and dreamt for.”
The attendees were then shuttled to the Paramount Theatre to join the larger Anderson community to support the 45th Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration & Call to Action. This event featured AU’s Multicultural Choir and other performances and speeches by individuals such as Bishop Dr. Andrea Williams who challenged the crowd with her call to action, “What is your impossible promise? Write it down. Speak it out loud. Hold it in your heart.”
The Student Government Association President and senior in Psychology and PPE (Politics, Philosophy, Economics) Korey Rees expressed his response to this challenging question, stating, “Something that I want is to ensure that other people do have those needs met so that they can devote their time and energy to discovering who they are and who God is, which is hard to do when you’re worrying about where your next meal is going to come from or where you’re going to sleep.”
Following the event at the Paramount Theatre, a panel consisting of AU’s Director of First Year Success, Ali Kardatzke, Pastor Janiel Caraballo of the Exit Church, and CEO of The Village Louis Jackson III was moderated by professor Ray Sylvester back at the Reardon Lobby. Sylvester posed questions based on the topic of identity and judgment to Kardatzke, Caraballo, and Jackson as he invited the rest of the participants to engage in various activities related to the discussion. He called attention to the issues people face when they are judged based on how they initially appear to be rather than their heart. From this discussion, Kardatzke addressed the participants in the room, “Don’t let those who judge you affect how you treat them.”
The panel discussion was followed by a group activity to come up with innovative ideas to continue MLK’s dream in the city of Anderson. The ideas ranged from festivals and sporting events to marketing and large productions. Sarah Loehmer, a first-year majoring in English Literary Studies, expressed her dream for Anderson, “My dream for the city of Anderson is that we become more connected, meet more people, and have more community events to show what the city of Anderson is all about, because it is about community and the celebration of everyone.”
The day ended with the abundance of new ideas and grand promises, providing hope to those who remembered the legacy and dream of Martin Luther King Jr and affirming the freedom fighters of the past and present that today’s young people care about the world around them and the fight to reach their dreams.