College of DuPage honoring Martin Luther King Jr. with scholarships, programs
The College of DuPage is honoring the service and impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s work with programming and actions that continue the efforts of his positive contributions.
His life and legacy is rooted in the fight for equitable humanity in a nation that is constantly struggling with liberty and justice for all. The work of King sits at the forefront of ant-racist action, fair voting rights, and social justice. More than 50 years later the voice of King resonates in contemporary American society for the pursuit of life and liberty for many people of color. His power is that he saw love in the midst of hate and he fought, bleed and died for the political and social Promised Land that he believed possible for all Americans.
On Monday, Jan. 17, the Dr. Martin Luther King 2022 Commemorative Video will feature students and remarks from President Brian Caputo, members of the staff and faculty. Also during the video, the four recipients of the 2022 COD Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship will be acknowledged. They are: Sjakie Darkoh, Amreen Fatima, Ieasha Flowers, and Aamna Meah.
The video will be available on the college's Facebook Live starting at 8 a.m.
In honor of MLK Day of Service, COD students are invited to participate in a morning of conversation and service projects in honor of King's legacy. The guided conversation circle topic will be: "Who Is In Your Community?," featuring a discussion on how much common ground is needed to feel a sense of community. The conversation will inspire you to think about community in new ways.
The virtual program will be 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Zoom. Sign up at www.cod.edu/student_life/resources/csdi/mlk-celebration.aspx
On Wednesday, Jan. 26, Clint Smith, an American writer, poet, and scholar, will speak on "Migration from Slavery to the Civil Rights Movement: The Story of Black People in the United States" during the virtual keynote speaker program from noon to 1 p.m.
Sign up via Eventbrite.com.
Smith is the author of "Counting Descent," a 2017 poetry collection that was a finalist for the NAACP Image Awards and won Best Poetry Book from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. Smith received a doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He was a regular contributor to the "Pod Save the People" podcast, where he discussed the week's news with a panel of other activists. His latest book, "How the Word Is Passed," topped The New York Times Best Seller list in June 2021. He is also the host of the web series "Crash Course: Black American History."
The program is sponsored by: College of DuPage, Oakton Community College, Richland College, Moraine Valley Community College, Southwestern Illinois College, Highland College, Joliet Junior College, Black Hawk College, Lincoln Land College, and McHenry County College.
On Friday, Feb. 11, the Living Leadership Program will feature a showing of the documentary "Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities" from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Student Life Lounge, Student Services Center, Room 1200.
RSVP for this event is required; all are welcome to this program in recognition of MLK and Black History Month.
The rich history of America's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) began before the end of slavery, flourished in the 20th century, and profoundly influenced the course of the nation for over 150 years - yet remains largely unknown. The latest documentary from Stanley Nelson ("Black Panthers," "Freedom Riders") and Marco Williams, the powerful story of the rise, influence, and evolution of HBCUs comes to life.
The screening will be followed by a brief discussion.
For information, contact David Swope, manager, Center for Student Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, at swoped28@cod.edu.