On Jan. 17, the MLK Regional Celebration honored Moira Branigan, Anita Jenkins, and Joyce Seals. The three women have devoted years to serving their communities in different ways that have helped promote and award actions of community service, to better both the Great Lakes Bay Region and the world.
Coming directly from a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the title of the Drum Major Award is intended to call back to the “drum major instinct,” saying in the face of adversity to march to the beat of your own drum through advocating and service for peace, justice, and righteousness. The MLK Regional Celebration is seen to “effectively [bring] awareness on important issues surrounding race,” according to Attorney Julie Gafkay, who sponsored the event.
This year’s speaker for the event was Wake Forest University’s Professor Melissa Harris-Perry. Perry works as the Maya Angelou Presidential Chair in four departments. There she researches and teaches on American politics, focusing on the intersections of gender, race, and place. She has also founded the Anna Julia Cooper Center, whose mission is to promote and further educate on justice through action and scholarship.
Branigan, of Bay City, works at the YWCA of Great Lakes Bay Region as executive director, which offers programs on empowerment, elimination of racism, and other programs to help those who may face other adversities in our society. Throughout her career, Branigan was able to work in various roles within program development, management, and outreach to further promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within various organizations.
Jenkins, of Midland, has worked for the last forty-seven years as a volunteer, activist, and philanthropist, and is one of the founders of the local chapter Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and played a crucial role in the implementation of the chapter’s endowed scholarship at the Midland Area Community Foundation. Using her knowledge of financial literacy, some which came from her years as a tax attorney for Dow, she served to encourage other members of the Midland Area to support the needs of others within their communities.
Seals, of Saginaw, served within education and community service through her various jobs, such as her duties with the State of Michigan, serving as an educational analyst, Title IX coordinator, and ombudsman for secondary education, as well as a classroom teacher.
She also has experience participating in volunteer opportunities with the Boy Scouts of America, Saginaw County Youth Protection Council, the Ezekiel Project, and the Good Neighbors Mission. Seals also served on Saginaw City council for twelve years and was elected as the city’s second black mayor in 2007.
Those looking for more information regarding the event can reach out to SVSU’s Office of Diversity Services.