On Monday Jan. 20, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Celebration will be held at the Malcom Field Theater at 7 PM. The event will include a keynote speaker and scholarship recipients, and much more.
Mamie T. Thorns Ph.D. , Vice President for Diversity Equity and Inclusion spoke out about the event.
“Even though I’ve been doing this for 22-some years,” Thorns said. “There’s still lots of new information out there that I just wanna grab it all, so that I can bring it back and share it with the faculty, staff, and students.”
Throughout Thorns’s 22 year tenure, she has been responsible for providing leadership and coordination for SVSU’s programs relating to diversity and inclusion.
The annual event has SVSU partnered with Saginaw, Bay, and Midland Community Foundations. It hosts scholarship presentations for fifteen high school seniors who have invited Dr. King’s teachings into their actions throughout their high school careers. Attendees can expect to hear the scholarship recipients recite one of Dr. King’s famous speeches.
The event also houses a showing of the Drum Major Award which recognizes community members from the Great Lakes Bay Region who have demonstrated commitment to community service. The name “Drum Major” is based on Dr. King’s “Drum Major Instinct” sermon.
Thorns went on to say that she greatly appreciates her position in the Diversity Office as she’s integrated Dr. King’s teachings into her line of work since she was a school teacher.
“I have always been an advocate of Martin Luther King. I grew up in the segregated state of Mississippi,” she stated. “I truly believe in promoting unity and inclusivity.”
Attendees can also expect to hear the Saginaw United Choir perform before the program.
Thorns then explained a new addition to the program. “The Dow Treasures … (are) young leaders … (who will also participate in) reciting and writing one of Dr. King’s speeches,” Thorns explained. “And talking about the impact that (the) speech had on them.”
The main event for attendees is keynote speaker Reverend Nontombi Naomi Tutu. She is an Episcopal Priest, as well as an advocate for Racial and Gendered justice.
Thorns explained how she’s hopeful for Tutu’s speech to resonate with attendees in their daily lives.
“Come and see, and be a part of celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King … In the times we’re in now. … and many of the challenges we are having to deal with,” Thorns spoke. “I think that revisiting Dr. King’s values and principles … can be very beneficial and very helpful to us.”
Following the main celebration is a reception that is also free to the public.
