MLK Day of Service 2020

“I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin the shift from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, extreme materialism and militarism are incapable of being conquered.”

Martin Luther King, Jr. “Beyond Vietnam,” Riverside Church, NYC, April 4, 1967.

The quote is part of the 2020 MLK Symposium and serves as a guide for honoring his legacy in Tufts’ MLK Day programming this year.

Participants creating needed resources alongside local community members during MLK Day of Service 2019.

How do you put your values into action? Join fellow Tufts students in reflecting and acting on this question during our sixth annual MLK Day of Service. This year we will be participating in the Cambridge Day of Service in Central Square with over 3,000 other local community members. Sign up to join other students in working towards Dr. King’s vision of a compassionate and person-oriented society by creating crucial resources for local community organizations and how reflecting on personal and institutional values influence our work. The day will include community building, participation in service projects in Central Square, and post-service reflection with refreshments back at Tufts. The resources we will create include:

• Valentine cards for elderly communities, homeless shelters, and veterans organizations,
• Fleece blankets and scarves for homeless and at-risk children and teens, and
• Emergency room kits for children at local hospitals.

Key Takeaways from 2019 MLK Day of Service Participants

Schedule for the Day: 

12:00-1:15 p.m. – Orientation at Breed Memorial Hall

1:15-1:45 p.m. – Travel to Central Square by school bus 

1:45 p.m. – Arrive at Cambridge City Hall

2:00-3:30 p.m. – Cambridge Day of Service with Many Helping Hands 365 in Central Square

3:45-4:15 p.m. – Travel back to campus by school bus

4:30-6:00 p.m. – Post-Service Reflection and Dinner at Breed Memorial Hall

Please sign up here: go.tufts.edu/MLKDOS. All students must register for this program. The form will close at noon on Friday, January 17. If you have any questions, please reach out to Shelby.Carpenter@tufts.edu.

We are also inviting students to apply as group leaders for this program. Serving as a group leader involves the following:

• Welcoming other students and helping orient to the day’s activities, 
• Leading students in service day activities, and
• Facilitating moments of reflection before, during, and after the service 

Apply here to be a group leader: go.tufts.edu/MLKLeader. This form will close at noon on Thursday, January 16.

We hope you can join us on MLK Jr Day for this service-learning program. If either form is closed and you would like to be added to a waitlist, please contact Shelby Carpenter at Shelby.Carpenter@tufts.edu. She can also address questions or concerns related to this program.