On Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. in Dana auditorium, Alma Adams hobbled to the podium, crutch under one shoulder, red flower pinned to the other, and reminded her audience that Martin Luther King’s struggle will never end.
Over 100 people arrived to learn about initiative and compassion from Adams, the State House representative for Guilford County since ’94 and professor of visual arts at Bennett College. “Your commitment must be to pursue King’s principles of compassion for humankind,” said Adams.
Though temporarily crippled recently from surgery, Adams exhibited a kinetic energy that she urged upon her audience. “Service is the rent that you pay for living on this earth,” she said.
James Shields, director of community learning, embodied the theme “Reflections: Past, Present and Future” in his introduction to the event by saying “we must remember our ancestors, all of our ancestors, and their shoulders that we stand on.”
Among others from the Guilford community, Holly Wilson, Africana Community Coordinator, and Sekinah Hamlin, Director of Multicultural Education, organized and facilitated the event.
Wilson, a ’96 Guilford graduate, explained that MLK Day is not a “day off” but a “day on” because campus is brimming with anticipation for all of the events for students and the public.
“It’s a day that not only celebrates Dr. King but enlightens us of his accomplishments,” Wilson said.
She went on to explain the importance of MLK for the college and the day’s significance as one of the only holidays celebrating a person whose principles of peace and equality align with those of the college, thereby setting MLK day apart from any other.
“Dr. King fought for equal rights for all and it is only fitting that we here at the college celebrate him and what he died for,” said Wilson.
The celebration began on Jan. 15 with a gospel concert held in Dana auditorium featuring University of North Carolina Greensboro’s Neo-Black Society Gospel Choir.
Rev. Keifer Bradshaw, Security Coordinator, spoke at the College Meeting for Worship on Jan. 16. A breakfast at the Koury Convention Center preceded the commemorative celebration and candlelight vigil on Jan. 17.
Adams stressed that people don’t have to wait until you graduate to get active in the community. Referencing Jacob’s ladder, she urged students to continue to climb higher in improving themselves, but “as you step up, you’ve got to reach back and bring somebody else along.”
The college offers several programs for the initiative of equality. The Anti-Racism Team, of which Holly Wilson is an active member, investigates, analyzes and works to dismantle racism at Guilford.
The Peoples Institute for Survival and Beyond has run training seminars for three years at Guilford. Training seminars last about two and a half days and are facilitated by individuals from The Peoples Institute’s multi-cutural training team.
The training assists the group in understanding real racism and internalized oppression. The group welcomes open dialogue on racism and gives a working definition of what racism is: Race + Prejudice + Power = Racism.
Ron Chisom, Director and Co-Founder of Peoples Institute, said the training and the committee help people be more effective in making community and institutional changes. “In order to deal with institutional racism at any level you must understand how racism impacts our system if you really want to give an equitable education to everyone,” said Chisom.
Adams’ educational mandate was to “build a community of compassion.” Martin Luther King was not only about race, she said. MLK Day is about compassion and service.
Adams paraphrased King in conclusion: “If you can’t run today – walk. If you can’t walk – crawl. And if you can’t crawl – do something to keep moving on.