St. Olaf will honor the lessons of Martin Luther King Jr. with series of events
Martin Luther King Jr. Day at St. Olaf College is an opportunity to honor Rev. King’s lessons by carving intentional spaces to engage in discourse around social justice, oppression, community, and social change.
There are a number of opportunities this year for our community to come together and work in service and support those who are disenfranchised. All are encouraged to join in action, activities, and conversation in the lead up to Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, January 18.
“In light of the events we witnessed and experienced this week and the last few months, it is more important than ever to not let injustice, hate, and violence dictate our future,” says Taylor Center for Equity and Inclusion Director María Pabón Gautier. “We have a lot of work to do as a community and country. I see the events happening on Monday, January 18 as an opportunity to engage in this work and find spaces to heal, grow, listen, and learn.”
In light of the events we witnessed and experienced this week and the last few months, it is more important than ever to not let injustice, hate, and violence dictate our future. We have a lot of work to do as a community and country. I see the events happening on Monday, January 18 as an opportunity to engage in this work and find spaces to heal, grow, listen, and learn.Taylor Center for Equity and Inclusion Director María Pabón Gautier
Now Through MLK Day | Connect Four for Social Justice Change
St. Olaf students, faculty, and staff are invited to commemorate MLK Day 2021 by taking social action in a variety of ways to address racial injustice. Complete four squares in a row to complete your Connect Four board and be entered into a drawing for a $20 donation of goods and products on your behalf. Play and learn more
January 14 | “We All Every One of Us” Readings
Join a Zoom conversation of the readings facilitated by members of the MLK Day Planning Team on Thursday, January 14, at 12 p.m. To prepare for the conversation please review the following chapters that have been scanned here:
Introduction and Chapter 1 from Virginia Eubanks’ Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor. The New York Times review of the book insists it should be “widely circulated, to poor people, social service workers and policymakers [and] also throughout the professional classes. Everyone needs to understand that technology is no substitute for justice.”
Chapters 1-2 from Savage Anxieties: the Invention of Western Civilization by Robert Williams Jr. In these chapters Williams traces the emergence of the concept of “savages” who are cast as diametrically opposed to key characteristics of western civilization.
Join in Zoom. Passcode: 175205
January 18 | MLK Day
10:10 a.m. — Chapel Time
Join us during a virtual service featuring talks by Associate Professor of English Joan Hepburn and Joshua Wyatt ‘21, as well as music by Noel Patterson ‘21, Audrey Lane-Getaz ‘22, and the Viking Chorus.
11 a.m. — Deliberate Dialogues: Engaging Students in Social Justice Conversations
Students will be led by peer facilitators from Assistant Professor of Religion Anthony Bateza’s course through discussions on race and equity using selected guides from the Living Room Conversation model for deliberative dialogue, including “Being White in the Antiracist Movement,” “Righteousness and Relationships,” “The Golden Rule in Politics,” and “Race-Faith-Communities.”
Sign up for the Dialogue here.
Join in Zoom, Meeting ID 921 9349 3572, Passcode: mlk
3 p.m. — Instagram Live Announcement of Connect Four Social Justice Challenge winner (winner will also be contacted via email)
4 p.m. — MLK Speaker Ruby Sales: “We All Every One of Us”
This year’s MLK Day speaker, Ruby Nell Sales, is the founder of the SpiritHouse Project, a national nonprofit that uses the arts, research, education, action, and spirituality to bring diverse peoples together to work for racial, economic, and gender justice, as well as for spiritual maturity. Recognizing a need to nurture the hope that still resides in young people as well as to revive an intergenerational community and human compassion, Sales is dedicated to strengthening the hope, courage, reason, and will of young people to individually and collectively stand up for themselves with dignity, clarity, and nonviolent persistence.
During this talk, Sales will focus on Martin Luther King Jr.’s question “Where do we go from here: chaos or community?” She will discuss how we move from individualism to community. She will also address the question “How can you have order in the midst of injustice since injustice fractures and oppresses? It violates our relationship with each other, God, and the community.”
To prepare for the talk, please review the following chapters that have been scanned here.
Join in Zoom, Meeting ID 926 9048 9200, Passcode: mlk
6 p.m. — Deliberate Dialogues: Engaging Students in Social Justice Conversations
Students will be led by peer facilitators from Assistant Professor of Religion Anthony Bateza’s course through discussions on race and equity using selected guides from the Living Room Conversation model for deliberative dialogue, including “Being White in the Antiracist Movement,” “Righteousness and Relationships,” “The Golden Rule in Politics,” and “Race-Faith-Communities.”
Sign up for the Dialogue here.
Join in Zoom, Meeting ID 921 9349 3572, Passcode: mlk