Central will begin the Spring 2022 semester by honoring the spirit and work of Martin Luther King, Jr. on Jan. 17.
Classes are not in session on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as they have been in years past. The day will instead be filled with educational opportunities for students and faculty. Students will participate in service projects, take training to become mentors in violence prevention and/or choose from many different academic seminars on racial justice, bias, inequality and more.
Mike Regan Jr. will deliver a keynote address titled “The Journey Continues: Athlete Activism and the Fight for Social Justice.” Regan is an interdisciplinary lecturer and scholar, serving as an adjunct professor in the Departments of Kinesiology and Sociology at California State University, East Bay. Through his primary academic strengths and interests, as a researcher and lecturer viewing and analyzing society through a critical social justice lens, he strives to shed light on social issues and inspire others to contribute to social change.
The day will conclude with a vigil at the Peace Pole located on south Geisler lawn. The pole, installed in 2006, is a hand-crafted monument that displays the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth.” Peace Poles are the most recognized international peace symbol and monument, with more than 200,000 Peace Poles standing in more than 190 countries.
For more information about MLK Day at Central, visit centralmlkday.weebly.com.
Pictured above: Martin Luther King, Jr. is welcomed at former Central College President Don Lubbers’ residence by Lubbers and his family before addressing the college in 1967.
