UNC Pembroke will host a week-long series of events, service and educational opportunities for the BraveNation community to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a clear vision that celebrated inclusion and, to this day, empowers others to create change. Our theme, "Empowering Change Beyond the Dream," was set to encourage our students and community to not only honor his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, but to pay tribute to all of his work as an agent of change.
“UNCP has developed a week full of events that fight for social justice, honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and serve others. I love this week because you see people all across campus take action to create a better world for others,” said Dalton Hoffer, assistant director of Community and Civic Engagement.
The schedule of events include:
Monday, January 20
- MLK Week of Service Kick-off, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., UC Lounge, Respond to volunteer at serve.uncp.edu/mlk
- Movie: Selma, 7 p.m., UC Annex
Tuesday, January 21
- Controversy through Civility Luncheon, noon, RSVP on BraveConnect
- MLK Vigil and March, 6 p.m., Museum of Southeast American Indian, Old Main
- A Party Fit for a King, 7 p.m., Pine Hall
Wednesday, January 22
- What is your Dream? 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., UC Mall
- Distinguished Speaker Cynthia Marshall, 7:30 p.m., GPAC, Moderated by UNCP alumnus Newy Scruggs
Thursday, January 23
- Blood Drive, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., UC Lounge
- Brave Dialogue, 1 p.m., UC 208
- Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, 7 p.m., UC Lounge (A workshop about knowing your rights)
Friday, January 24
- MLK Trivia Night, 7 p.m., UC Lounge
Students and campus community members are invited to participate in a variety of service opportunities throughout MLK Week at serve.uncp.edu. Service locations/organizations include:
- Repair and Rebuild in Fairmont, N.C.
- LRCOG for Meals on Wheels
- Helping the Orphans Thrift Store
- NC Baptists on Mission Lumberton Rebuild Center
- American Red Cross
- Robeson County Church and Community Center
- Shining Stars Pembroke Read In
- Deep Branch Elementary Read In
- Pembroke Roadside Cleanup
- Growing Change in Laurinburg
In addition to events and service opportunities, UNCP Athletics is hosting a book drive to support MLK week of service initiatives. The book drive is seeking gently used or new books appropriate for children, youth and young adults. Books can be donated in either lobby of the English E. Jones Center. The books from the drive will be used to fill multiple Little Libraries that will be placed throughout the community.
The North Carolina Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission granted funds to UNC Pembroke to support various projects to promote MLK among youth in the community. UNCP departments, with the help of this grant, will build nine Little Libraries that will be given to various public schools and organizations in the Pembroke community that will be filled with books for youth to take for free. Volunteers will build and paint these libraries on January 20 at the MLK Week of Service kick-off event.
To further community collaboration, MLK Week participants are invited to participate in a photo contest on social media. To participate, upload a picture on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram that best represents each skill below during an MLK Week service/volunteer activity. Use the appropriate # followed by: #uncpmlk, #dreambrave, #Leadership, #Teamwork, #Communication, #ProblemSolving, and/or #Inclusion.
MLK Week is sponsored by Campus Engagement and Leadership, Career Center, Community and Civic Engagement, Counseling and Psychological Services, Museum of the Southeast American Indian, National Council of Negro Women, Order of Omega, Residence Hall Association, Student Government Association, Student Health Services, Student Inclusion and Diversity, UNCP Athletics, and UNCP Votes.