Soledad O'Brien addresses MLK Day leadership breakfast
About 700 guests attended the breakfast Jan. 18 in Alumni Hall and heard the words of O’Brien honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
This year’s campus-wide celebration of Dr. King’s civil rights work centered around the theme “A Call to All,” which urges faculty, staff and students to make the holiday not a day of rest, but a day of volunteerism and activism.
Unity Summit facilitates open discussion
As a capstone to Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, students, student leaders and faculty gathered in the Indiana Memorial Union Solarium to discuss issues involving diversity, discrimination and advocacy.
IU’s annual Social Justice in Action: Unity Summit 2016 drew in almost 225 students and faculty members. Those who attended heard from keynote speaker Rosa Clemente, an independent journalist and hip-hop activist.
Tashia Roberson, IU junior, decided to bring the conversation on race and ethnicity to IU after attending the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Washington, D.C. “I want people to leave here with an open mind, so we can create a more diverse and accepting environment at IU,” Roberson said.
Singers, speakers highlight Buskirk-Chumley MLK celebration
The display of solidarity at the beginning of the Martin Luther King Jr. birthday celebrations Monday was exemplary of what Brittany Packnett said was necessary for social change in her keynote speech.
“It’s going to take all of us to win,” Packnett said. “Today reminds us of just how much we need every single person and every single sign, every soul willing to put in the time and effort to do this.”
Campaign promotes respect of social identities, volunteering
“That should be enough,” said Jessica David, a graduate student who helped organize the campaign.
The campaign kicked off Monday with an involvement fair to promote long-term service in the community.
School of Optometry offers free eye exams
Jonathan Mendes was asleep Monday morning after a night shift when his wife woke him to remind him of a scheduled eye exam.
“See, my eyes are bloodshot,” Mendes said. “My wife had to pull me off the couch.”
Mendes was one of 62 patients who received a free eye exam as part of the School of Optometry’s eighth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service at Atwater Eye Care Center.
