MEMBER EVENT: UAH Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration

The UAH Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is excited to host our annual commemoration honoring Dr. King’s legacy. We are pleased to welcome Shaniqua McClendon, senior political director for Crooked Media (home to the popular podcast, Pod Save America) and currently a fellow at the USC Center for the Political Future, as our special guest speaker for this year’s program.

While we had originally planned to celebrate together in-person, for safety precautions due to rising health concerns, we will be hosting virtually once again. This event is free to all UAH faculty, staff, and students and open to the general public. All proceeds from ticket sale benefit the McGlathery Scholarship Fund and other DEI programmatic efforts. Registration is required.

Once registered/paid, a follow-up email will be received leading up to the event in order to access the Zoom webinar. As we begin the year with new resolutions, this year’s program is centered around how we can better support each other. The theme for 2022 is centered around a statement from Dr. King’s 1957 address to an audience at the historic Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”

As we continue to navigate life through a global pandemic, our society has been forced to face unique challenges everyday. We cannot overcome these challenges alone; solidarity is vital if we want to build a better future. In 2020, the entire world was awakened by the many cracks in our foundation as we witnessed the cries of injustice shared across social media. When it comes to the struggle for justice, equality, diversity, equity, and inclusion, we must unify and strategize - that strategy must begin by deciding that we are going to help one another.

Sharing the content is great - but our actions must speak even louder than our words. Dr. King would not have achieved so much in his short life without having a strategy to achieve his goals. We all deserve to see more transformative change in a world that is constantly evolving. As we pause and reflect on this day, be sure to ask yourself: What are you doing for others?