Dr. Martin Luther King Commemoration — “We shall overcome: How far have we come?”
All members of the Wesleyan and greater Middletown community are invited to a panel presentation and discussion to explore various perspectives about the recent events in Ferguson, Missouri, and New York City to commemorate the life, civil rights and social justice legacy that Dr. King has left. The commemoration will be held in Wesleyan’s Memorial Chapel on Friday, January 30, at 3:15 pm. This is a ticketed, free event. Tickets to the event can be secured at the University Box Office.
The event will include music and an audio clip of Dr. King’s baccalaureate address to the Wesleyan community 51 years ago, followed by the panel presentation and discussion.
The panel discussion will be moderated by Antonio Farias, Vice President for Equity & Inclusion/Title IX Officer, and will include the following panelists:
Riché J. Daniel Barnes, Assistant Professor of Afro-American Studies, Smith College
Dreisen Heath ’15, African American Studies and FGSS major, Wesleyan University
Kiese Laymon, Associate Professor of English, Vassar College
Chief Joseph Dooley, President of the CT Police Chiefs Association
The program will be followed by a brief dessert reception. Later in the evening there will be a series of discussions to be held in various locations on campus and a student-coordinated open-mic at 8:00 pm in the West College Cafe. Details will follow regarding the evening events.