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MLK Celebration 1/31

The 2024 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Annual Celebration, Wednesday, January 31, 6:00 p.m.-  7:30 p.m.

Updated location: Joyce Cummings Center lobby the Tufts Medford campus, near the Tufts/Medford Green Line station, please note the event will not be at Breed Memorial Hall as previously indicated

Doors open at 5:15 p.m. for dinner. 

Join the Africana Center, the Office of the President, the Office of the Vice Provost for Institutional Inclusive Excellence, Tisch College of Civic Life,  and the University Chaplaincy for the annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration. This year we welcome Boston-native Christian Walkes, a Ph.D. Student at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education researching race and inequality in American schools through interdisciplinary historical inquiry. Walkes will offer insights from King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" and frame the conversation for the evening.

The 2024 theme Single Garment of Destiny comes from the 1963 "Letter from Birmingham Jail" which includes this quote:

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial ‘outside agitator’ idea."

The event will also feature student artists and musicians as well as winners of the MLK Student Voices Award. Dinner will provided to guests in person. ASL interpreters will be on site. In addition to the in person gathering, the event will also be live-streamed and recorded. Please register below to attend in-person or virtually, and to share your accessibility needs.

You can email University Chaplaincy Associate Director for Programs Nora Bond with any questions.

Field Trip to the Musuem of African American History 
Saturday, February 10, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Join the Office of the President, the Africana Center, the Office of the Vice Provost for Institutional Inclusive Excellence, Tisch College of Civic Life, and the University Chaplaincy for a field trip to the Museum of African American History, with Director of Education & Interpretation and this year's MLK Celebration keynote speaker Christian Walkes. After the tour, there will be an optional walk to the Embrace memorial. Transportation scholarships are available, please email the University Chaplaincy with questions and accessibility needs. Registration is limited to 50 attendees, reguister today!

Lunch and Learns Feb 12 and Feb 14

The 2024 "Single Garment of Destiny" Lunches on Boston and Grafton Campuses  

Join staff and students from the Africana Center, the Office of the Vice Provost for Institutional Inclusive Excellence, and the University Chaplaincy for a special “Single Garment of Destiny “ Lunch and Learn to celebrate the living legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Grafton Campus

Monday, February 12

Noon to 1:00pm (with lunch available beginning at 11:30am)

Kohnstamm Conference Room (106 Jean Mayer Admin Building

Boston Campus

Wednesday, February 14

11:45am to 12:45pm (with lunch available beginning at 11:45am)

Posner Hall (200 Harrison Ave.)

These events will feature recorded excerpts from the keynote at the Day of Celebration, offered by Christian Walkes, Director of Education and Interpretation Programs at the Museum of African American History, on January 31, followed by an opportunity to engage in table conversation about his insights from King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and the meaning of his message for us today. 

These Lunch and Learns are available to all Tufts faculty, staff and students on both campuses.  We hope that you can attend, and that you will register for either event no later than Friday, February 9.

day of community action feb 24

MLK, seated, looks off to his right, his hands folding in front of him

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Speakers

Monroe France

Monroe France is the Vice Provost for Institutional Inclusive Excellence at Tufts University, as well as a Professor of Practice, Jonathan Tisch College of Civic Life. Monroe has over 25 years of progressive experience as an educator, professor, professional trainer, consultant, strategist, and keynote presenter and spans across higher education, non-profits, corporate sectors, arts and creative industries, as well as social responsibility, humanitarian, and philanthropic initiatives. As the inaugural Vice Provost for Institutional Inclusive Excellence at Tufts University, Monroe France serves as a member of the president’s cabinet and is charged with guiding Tufts’ strategy for advancing institutional inclusive excellence. Previously, Monroe served as the Senior Associate Vice President for Global Engagement and Inclusive Leadership in the Office of Global Inclusion, Diversity, and Strategic Innovation at New York University (NYU). Monroe has a track record of providing strategic consultation and coaching on change management, inclusive and innovative leadership, as well as organizational assessment and transformation to senior leaders and executives across the globe. Monroe is an exceptional communicator and spokesperson and has given lectures and keynotes across the globe, including within North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Most recently, Monroe is often invited to present on the future of work and talent, leadership during times of crises, and approaches to fostering effective global partnerships. Monroe is currently a professor of practice at the Jonathan Tisch College of Civic Life (Tufts University) as well as a visiting thought leader for Woxsen University in India.

Katrina Moore

Katrina Moore is the Director of the Africana Center at Tufts, where she serves as a campus resource and educates the community on emerging issues regarding students of African descent. She is responsible for establishing the Center's vision and advocates on behalf of students in cases of intolerance and/or discrimination. She works closely with students and student organizations to develop effective programs and initiatives to enhance the co-curricular experience of students and build leadership skills. A sought-after campus leader, Katrina participates in committee assignments, both within the division and the broader Tufts community.

Reverend Elyse Nelson Winger

Rev. Elyse Nelson Winger became University Chaplain at Tufts University in October of 2020. She leads the Chaplaincy Team in supporting all religious, spiritual, and philosophical life at Tufts; educates about spiritual and ethical issues in society and the world; and coordinates pastoral care, multifaith initiatives, and strategic partnerships around the university and beyond. Before coming to Tufts, Rev. Nelson Winger served as Associate Dean of Students and Chaplain at Illinois Wesleyan University where she provided vision and leadership for religious, spiritual and multifaith life on campus and partnered with students, faculty and staff on a range of initiatives designed to support the University’s mission commitments to global citizenship, critical thinking, diversity, and the arts. She also led advocacy efforts related to students’ thriving, belonging, and well-being on campus and served as a Title IX deputy coordinator for student affairs.Rev. Nelson Winger is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and has served congregations in Cairo, Egypt, Dearborn, Michigan and Bloomington, Illinois. She has served as a committee or board member for numerous faith-based and non-profit organizations, including nine years of service on the Board of Directors for Lutheran Social Services of Illinois. She also enjoys writing and wrote a column for Gather magazine that twice received honorable mention in The Associated Church Press’ “The Best of the Christian Press” awards.

Christian Walkes

Boston native Christian Walkes is the Director of Education and Interpretation Programs at Museum of African History and a Ph.D. Student in Education at Harvard University where he studies the history of African American education. Prior to matriculating into his doctoral program, Christian earned an M.A. in Educational Studies from Tufts University and a B.A. in English and Secondary Education from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. In addition to his role as a museum educator and student, he serves as an adjunct professor in the College of Education and Human Development at UMass/Boston, and is a member of the Boston Writing Project’s advisory board. Christian holds memberships to the following professional associations: the American Educational Research Association, the Association for the Study of African American Life and history, and the American Educational Studies Association.