January 13, 2023
Dear Gonzaga Community,
This Monday, January 16, our country will honor and celebrate the life and legacy of minister, activist, writer, and humanitarian Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose enduring vision of equality and peaceful activism lives on more than half a century after his tragic assassination in 1968. A Nobel Peace Prize recipient at the age of 35, Dr. King’s dream has motivated generations, leaving behind an immeasurable impact on our world.
Over the course of his life, Reverend Dr. King leaned on the Gospel to teach, inspire, gather people and remind us that love knits humankind together. As he shared in his Letter from Birmingham Jail in 1963:
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.
As we commemorate his life this Monday, may we continue to remember our commitment to social justice, needed now more than ever, to overcome systemic inequality, hatred and discrimination. There are many ways to celebrate the work of Dr. King and his legacy:
Monday, January 16
MLK Day Annual Unity Rally, March and Resource Fair
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. | Hemmingson 215
Create signs
10:00 – 11:30 a.m. | Spokane Convention Center
334 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201
Rally and March Downtown
Rally begins at 10:00 a.m., followed by March and Resource Fair
MLK Teach-In
12:00 – 2:00 p.m. | Hemmingson Ballroom
“I, Too, Am America”: The Visual Rhetoric of the Flag
The Center for Community Engagement and Unity Multicultural Education Center are hosting a panel discussion on the visual rhetoric of the flag and its representation in modern times. Panelists include Quanika Bynum, a chaplain in the United State Air Force; Roberta Wilburn, associate dean emeritus from Whitworth University, Luke Lavin from Gonzaga’s Mission & Ministry office, and Veta Schlimgen, a GU associate professor of history.
Tuesday, January 17
Dr. King Commemorative Service
12:10 p.m. | University Chapel
“Together We Lift Our Voice”
Join us for spoken word, movement and music presented by the Office of Mission & Ministry, Unity Multicultural Education Center, Black Student Union, Office of Inclusive Excellence and Department of Music.
For additional opportunities to engage, consider participating in the national commemoration sponsored by The King Center.
Whether you choose to remember his life through acts of service, inspired activism, or quiet reflection, may we always remember our shared connections to one another and our commitment to building a community founded on respect, inclusion and care for others.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
Sincerely yours,
Thayne M. McCulloh, D.Phil.
President