Join Us for Martin Luther King Celebration Week 2022
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Office of Student Affairs, Black Student Union, and Chatham Student Government are offering multiple campus-wide events during our Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Week. We hope you join us for these events, and please check MyChatham, email, and the Office of Student Affairs and Student Engagement, Black Student Union, and Chatham Student Government Instagram accounts for up-to-date information on moves to virtual or postponement as we assess our community’s needs during COVID.
MLK Celebration Brunch (Virtual): Friday, 1/14 (registration required)
Kick off MLK Week with community-building and dialogue featuring Vikki Ayanna Jones, CEO and Founder of the Sankofa Village Community Garden, presenting a keynote titled "How the Pandemic Turned Dreams into Nightmares: An Inclusive Event."
Registration is required. Any Chatham students, faculty, staff, and alumni are welcome to register. Participants must register via Zoom to receive their unique login URL. Please direct any questions to odei@chatham.edu. Event sponsored by Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Black Student Union, Chatham Student Government
MLK Day of Service: Monday, 1/17
Volunteers can sign up to perform community service projects. Projects include: Care cards for Hillman Cancer Center, cards for Little Sisters of the Poor and kit making for families in need through the Western PA Diaper Bank. Volunteers will complete the projects and get a meal box to go. T-shirts will be given out on a first come, first serve basis to those that attend. Event sponsored by Office of Student Engagement.
Courageous Conversations: Race on Campus: Tuesday, 1/18 (registration required)
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy of initiating courageous conversations about race, this campus-wide community dialogue focuses specifically on the issue of anti-Blackness: nationally, locally, and on campus. Registration is required.
At the beginning of the event, participants will separate into two dialogue circles in different physical spaces: one for Chatham community members who identify as Black (facilitated by Dr. Sharon Higginbothan, who is Black-identifying) and one space for Chatham community members who do not identify as Black (facilitated by Juan Mendizabal, who is white/Hispanic-identifying). After engaging in separate dialogues, both groups will come together for a whole-group dialogue co-facilitated by Dr. Higginbothan and Juan.
All dialogue groups will be grounded in framework aligned with Chatham's Intergroup Dialogue program. Snacks and drinks are provided post-dialogue to encourage continued conversation. Event sponsored by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Holding Space on the Page: Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: Wednesday, 1/19
Join the MFA in Creative Writing program and the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for a session of supported community writing. In this session, we’ll read works related to the life, legacy, and impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. After reading these creative pieces, we will invite you to reflect, discuss, and write. Writing prompts will be available to help make connections personally, professionally, and creatively, but you are also welcome to use this time to reflect and rest. No writing experience needed! Event sponsored by the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, the MFA in Creative Writing Program, and the Humanities Department.
Dean's Hour: Black Lives Matter Commemoration: Wednesday, 1/19
The BLM commemoration will honor victims of violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes. We will read names, share stories, and envision a world in which Black lives are no longer systematically targeted for demise, per the BLM movement goals. This event is offered in partnership between the Office of Student Affairs, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Black Student Union.
BIPOC Family Dinner: Thursday, 1/20 (for Chatham's BIPOC community members)
At a predominantly white campus, it can be rare to find majority-BIPOC spaces. We invite BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) students, faculty, and staff to stop by Family Dinner for food, games, and community-building. Organized by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Black Student Union.
Jennie King Mellon Library’s Community Activism and Civil Rights Virtual Library Display: Now until 1/31
The JKM Library is honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the month of January with a virtual library display focused on Community Activism and Civil Rights. This display includes fiction, nonfiction, memoir and biography eBooks; documentaries available for streaming; national, local, academic, and historic resources; podcasts, music, and more! Topics include the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. King and other leaders, activism in general (including environmental activism, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, and more), and civic duty. All content is accessible from home for Chatham Community members. This display will remain accessible yearlong.
We hope you have a safe and meaningful Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day!