In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. day on Monday, there are a host of Bloomington and IU events and activities for families and individuals to participate in:
A Journey Toward True Education: Social Justice Conference 2022
IU’s Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs will host its annual two-day conference beginning Sunday. The conference will focus on King’s “The Purpose of Education,” a campus newspaper article he wrote while attending Morehouse College.
As of Jan. 5, all sessions and events were moved online to ensure the health and safety of the IU and Bloomington community. Interested participants are instead able to register for the virtual events.
The conference will showcase many social justice experts and nationally recognized keynote speakers throughout a series of sessions.
There are two events scheduled at 2and 7 p.m. on day one of the conference. The first is the pre-conference institute “Together We Commit”, and prior registration is necessary. The second is the first keynote session with one of the nation’s principal lawyers and advocates for social justice Benjamin Crump.
Crump represented the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Jacob Blake.
Day two of the conference will begin at 9 a.m. with opening remarks given by IU President Pamela Whitten, IU Vice President James Wimbush and other IU and city officials. The “Building Bridges” and IU MLK Student Organization awards will be presented after.
Following this, sessions one and two will run from 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. and 1:45 - 2:45 p.m. They will offer keynotes covering critical race theory, combatting anti-semitism, uplifting larger body Black women, centering minoritized populations and other topics.
Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration
The City of Bloomington will host its Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday celebration at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 17 at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.
The event features keynote speaker UCLA professor Eddie Cole who will speak on “The Challenge of Action and the Challenges of Action.” There will also be featured performances by the IU African American Choral Ensemble and the Jacobs School of Music Ballet Department.
Bloomington Deputy Mayor Don Griffin will present the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award. This award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions in race relations, justice and human rights.
The event will also be livestreamed on CATS.
Monroe County Public Library MLK Day Celebration
The Monroe County Public Library will host a MLK day celebration from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday at the Bloomington branch on Kirkwood Avenue.
The event will offer readings featuring “Hands Up” and “Our Skin: A First Conversation About Race” and crafts to celebrate Black lives and honor King Jr.’s legacy. There will be a performance by the Bloomington Peace Choir in the atrium at 11 a.m.
At 3 and 4 p.m. the IU African American Dance Company will give an interactive 30-minute lecture and performance called “Good Dancing – Good People!”. Between 4 to 5 p.m, teens ages 12 to 19 will be invited to help assemble dignity kits with personal hygiene items to be sent to the Beacon’s Shalom Center for community members experiencing homelessness.
IU School of Optometry MLK Jr. Day of Vision
The IU School of Optometry will partner with the Salvation Army to provide free eye exams and glasses Monday. The event will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Atwater Eye Care Center, 744 E 3rd St.
The School of Optometry cancels all classes and closes the Atwater Eye Care Center annually for the event. Students, staff and faculty volunteer their time to provide free services and glasses to those who need them.
Interested individuals can schedule an appointment by contacting Monica Clemons at (812) 336-4310 or monica.clemons@usc.salvationarmy.org.
