MLK Celebration Week 2020: The Black Women in Our Lives

 

Florida State University's MLK Week has celebrated the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for more than three decades. The week of events across campus aligns with Dr. King's birthday on Jan. 15 and the federal holiday observed on the third Monday of the month. In addition to the week's speakers, performances, dialogues and other events, FSU honors Dr. King's legacy with the presentation of the MLK Distinguished Service Award for faculty and staff and the MLK Book Stipend for current students. The goal of the week is to bring the FSU and Tallahassee communities together to reflect on the past and support one another to engage in creating social justice and advocating for the civil rights of all.

The Framework Behind the Movement

The goal of the week is to bring the FSU and Tallahassee communities together to reflect on the past and support one another to engage in creating social justice and advocating for the civil rights of all. The celebration highlights Dr. King’s framework for social justice through the Six Principles of Nonviolence. Created by Dr. King, these principles were institutionalized and strengthened by Coretta Scott King’s continued social justice advocacy and the monumental development of the King Center. We encourage you to reflect on each of these Six Principles of Nonviolence as we move through the week and think about how we as a community can do the work of equity for equality.

Six Principles of Nonviolence

  1. Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people.
  2. Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding.
  3. Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice, not people.
  4. Nonviolence holds that suffering for a cause can educate and transform people and societies.
  5. Nonviolence chooses love instead of hate.
  6. Nonviolence believes that the universe is on the side of justice.

 

Monday, January 15

 This event focuses on the Fifth Principle of Nonviolence: Nonviolence uses love instead of hate.

 Day of Service with Engage TLH

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.  |  Convene at the Dunlap Student Success Center Rm. 2201

Join us for a day of community service throughout the Tallahassee area in honor of Dr. King's legacy and commitment to serving our communities. Volunteers will be able to sign up for engagement opportunities via the Engage TLH portal and meals will be provided by the Office of Student Agencies and Institutes. Sign up here https://apps.its.fsu.edu/EngageTLH/listings/.

 The Journey to Justice

Promoting Civil Rights Through Art, Culture and Education

6 - 8 p.m.  |  Champion's Club West Ballroom, Third Floor

Join us in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, hear from community leaders, including the Reverend Dr. R. B. Holmes, and be the first to learn about our new Reverend Doctor C.K. Steele Lecture Series.

 

Tuesday, January 16

An Evening with Da'Vinchi and Sara Sidner

MLK Awards and the Golden Torch Lecture Series Presents An Evening with Da'Vinchi and Sara Sidner

Doors 6 p.m. Show 7 p.m.  |  Ruby Diamond Theater | Free to the public

This event focuses on the First Principle of Nonviolence: Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people.

We are thrilled to announce that actor and advocate Da’Vinchi will be joined by CNN anchor and correspondent Sara Sidner for an inspiring intergenerational conversation. They will share how MLK’s Dream has personally influenced their lives and discuss how we, as a global community, can "Move Forward" and keep living the dream. Da'Vinchi is best known for his roles in “Jessica Jones”, “Grown-ish” a Freeform spin-off of the hit series “Black-ish”, FOX’s “Lethal Weapon”, Amazon’s “The Boys”, and can recently be seen in a heavy recurring role on the CW’s hit series “All American”, now in production on its fifth season. Sara Sidner is co-anchor of CNN News Central, airing weekdays from 9am-12pm ET, out of CNN's New York City Bureau. She is also CNN's multiple award-winning senior national and international correspondent.
Da’Vinchi is an outspoken advocate for mental health and is passionate about fostering conversations around mental health awareness by shedding light on resources, organizations and platforms within both his personal circle and his greater fanbase. Da’Vinchi has successfully used his rising platform over the last two years to help shed a light on mental illness in black and brown communities. He started his Mental Health Awareness College Tour and has drawn thousands to hear him speak on the topic of the current mental health crisis that is overtaking our youth in America. He has recently teamed up with such organizations as McDonalds, American Family Insurance, Capital One and our nation’s top doctor, The U.S. Surgeon General, Vice Admiral Vivek Murthy, to help shed light on this matter of national security in our country. With the rising suicide rates of young adults, and more and more young people being diagnosed with depression, loneliness and isolation, the Haitian born actor, Abraham D. Juste, found it to be his calling to speak about his own battles with the disease and to let people know they are not alone in their struggles and that they should not be afraid or ashamed to ask for help.
As an international correspondent, Sara Sidner has reported on a wide range of subjects, from terrorism to business to social and cultural issues. She has reported from a multitude of countries, including Libya, Egypt, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Taiwan. In the United States, Sidner led the network’s coverage in Minneapolis of the protests following the death of George Floyd and the trial of Derek Chauvin. She also extensively covered the protests in Ferguson, Missouri after an unarmed black teenager was shot and killed by a white police officer. Prior to joining CNN, Sidner was an anchor and reporter at local television news stations in San Francisco, Dallas, Florida, and Missouri. She received multiple awards during this time, including a regional Emmy Award, an Edward R. Murrow Award, and several Telly Awards. Sidner received her journalism degree from the University of Florida and was named an Alumni of Distinction in 2011.

 

Wednesday, January 17

 Film Screening and Discussion with Fred and Doby Flowers

6 - 8 p.m.  |  Askew Student Life Cinema

This event focuses on the Third Principle of Nonviolence: Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice, not people.

A special evening screening of the Justice Sunday segment exploring the Civil Rights Movement in Florida. Filmed on FSU’s campus, the documentary features FSU alumnae Mr. Fred Flowers and Ms. Doby Flowers along with Pastor R.B. Holmes of the historic Bethel Missionary Baptist Church as they talk about their involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. Following the screening, there will be a fireside chat moderated by Mr. Ted Ellis, the inaugural director of FSU’s Civil Rights Institute.

 

Friday, January 19

 Coffee Hour with The Center for Global Engagement

 5 - 6:30 p.m.  |  The Globe Building

This event focuses on the Second Principle of Nonviolence: Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding.

Join us for coffee, tea, hot chocolate and learn more about the student agencies, class councils, and how you can get involved.