The purpose of the George Floyd Fellowship is to directly support the advancement and development of the Black/African-American community in the United States whose populations reflect the social, political and economic barriers creating the conditions leading to the police involved killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN on May 25, 2020. Students participating in the fellowship will work towards improving the collective experience of these marginalized communities by focusing on and advancing the work of racial justice, social justice and equity within the academic and/or pedagogical framework.
MLK Day 2021
Martin Luther King Jr. Day at St. Olaf 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. It is a time for our community to come together and work in service and support those who are disenfranchised.
George Floyd Memorial, Minneapolis MN
Students, staff, and faculty are encouraged to join in action, activities, and conversation throughout month of January and on Monday, January 18, 2021 in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Overview of Events
Now – MLK Day | Connect Four Social Justice Challenge
- 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. Learn more
January 14 | “We All Every One of Us” Readings
- You are all invited to join a zoom conversation of the readings facilitated by members of the MLK Day Planning Team on Thursday, January 14 at 12 PM. To prepare for the conversation please review the following chapters that have been scanned here.
- Join in Zoom. Passcode: 175205
January 18 | MLK Day
10:10am-10:30 am | Chapel Time
- 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.
- Location: Live stream
11:00 am | 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.
3:00 pm | Instagram Live Announcement of Connect Four Social Justice Challenge winner
- Winner will also be contacted via email
4:00 pm | MLK Speaker Ruby Sales: “We All Every One of Us”
- This year’s MLK Day speaker, Ruby Nell Sales, was active in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in the 1960s. She 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 Webinar, Meeting ID 926 9048 9200, Passcode: mlk
6:00 pm | 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 Zoom Meeting, Meeting ID 962 9058 7759, Passcode: mlk
Ruby Nell Sales
Public Theologian, Historian, Activist, Social Critic, and Educator
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.
Connect Four for Social Justice Challenge
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Remembering MLK Day 2020
Morning Gathering and Unity March led by Wondemagegnehu — along with members of the Black Ensemble, a St. Olaf music ensemble dedicated to showcasing and representing black arts and culture, as well as students in the Interim Music and Social Justice class. Events also included a lecture by civic leader Dr. Abdul Omari, conversations with CUBE, blanket making, and voter registration.
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Connect with Lawmakers
Being politically proactive is part and parcel of engaged citizenship! Therefore, we’re asking you to write letters to your Legislators – both Federal and State.
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Tashonna Douglas 21’
Destiny Newell 22′
Joshua Wyatt 21’