“Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Where do we go from here?", 1967
Each year, Northwest Missouri State University celebrates the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the third week of January. The 2025 theme, "Beyond the Dream: Transforming Communities," emphasizes Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy of advocating for social justice, socioeconomic and educational access, and the need for inclusive opportunities for all underserved communities. As we continue to witness society’s current struggles, we are looking to explore how we, as individuals, can collectively be vehicles of change at Northwest and within our communities.
January 17, 2025
12 Noon - 2 PM CST | J.W. Jones Student Union
MLK Peace Brunch will kick off the week of honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and legacy. We will also honor several in our community with the Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion Awards.
The Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion Awards
The Northwest’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion Award was established to honor faculty, administrators, or community members for their outstanding service in keeping with Dr. King's principles and ideals, for their efforts to foster an inclusive environment on the campus, and for their engagement in activities that help eliminate barriers concerning people of various identities on campus and within the community. This year, we will seek to honor faculty, staff, and community members for their contributions throughout our community.
Nominations
Nominations should be for a faculty or staff member who has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to Dr. King’s principles and ideals of freedom, equality, justice, liberty, individuality, and respect and furthers the university’s commitment to those principles and ideals. All faculty and staff are eligible for the award.
Nominees from the staff must exemplify a commitment to the campus or community and a personal commitment to creating an inclusive environment for everyone.
Nomination should be submitted via the online form by December 6:
please contact Shay Malone at smalone@nwmissouri.edu or 660.562.1517. We look forward to seeing you there!
January 16-19, 2024
Various Times and Locations
At the heart of the Civil Rights Movement, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., stood the pivotal strategy of nonviolent protests, exemplified through sit-ins and demonstrations. Drawing inspiration from these historic actions, in 1965, dedicated faculty and administrators at the University of Michigan pioneered a series of engaging events known as "Teach-Ins." These sessions encompassed debates, lectures, movies, and musical performances, all aimed at enlightening students about the profound economic and social implications of the war, civil rights, and women's movements.
The legacy of Teach-Ins endures, as colleges and universities today continue to leverage this impactful approach to foster community engagement. These modern Teach-Ins delve into critical topics such as race, anti-racism, equity, inclusion, and the enduring aspirations for peace and justice championed by Dr. King.
In the spirit of commemorating MLK's vision, we invite you to host a Teach-In during the week of January 15 through 19, 2024. These teach-ins can be held virtually or in-person throughout the campus community. If you are interested in being a part of this project, please register online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7VG32NS by December 11, 2023. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
January 20, 2024
MLK Day of Service is a national initiative to make the recognition of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a “day on, not a day off." In collaboration with several student organizations and departments, Northwest will serve the Maryville community on Saturday, January 20th. More information to follow.
