Ithaca College

Every January, the Ithaca College community celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through a series of programs sponsored by the Office of Student Engagement & Multicultural Affairs.

This year we continue this tradition January 25-30, 2016, as students, staff, faculty, and community members come together to discuss the legacy and work of Dr. King. Our theme is "Conscience Asks the Question." The cynosure of the MLK 2016 Celebration is to focus on what motivates us to be active in the movement for social justice; how to motivate others to participate; and on how we can be better activists, advocates, and allies.

Today, January 25, 2016. 4pm in Emerson Suites

umi selah- Organizer & Mission Director, Dream Defenders

umi selah (Formerly known as Phillip Agnew), a native of Chicago, Ill., found his voice as a community activist while a student at Florida A&M University, or as he refers to it, "the #1 Historically Black College & University in the world."

In 2005, he helped to organize students from FAMU, Florida State University, and Tallahassee Community College in the creation of the Student Coalition for Justice, which was formed in response to the Martin Lee Anderson case. Seven years later, in response to teen Trayvon Martin being killed, Agnew formed the Dream Defenders, which brought vigor and national attention to the Trayvon Martin case from the start. The Dream Defenders highlight racial and social economic justice issues like prison privatization, racial profiling and "zero tolerance" policies in schools -- which may lead students of color straight into the prison system. 

Dream Defenders is an organization committed to shifting the culture through transformational organizing;  dedicated to building a community of love, reconciliation, training, and organizing young people in nonviolent civil disobedience, transformative organizing, and direct action.

Selah is a 2008 graduate and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., or what he refers to as, "the #1 fraternity in the entire world."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa7KBq0q5bU 

Join us! Before umi selah takes the stages, the first-year students of the Ithaca College MLK Scholar Program will provide a presentation that highlights their journey on the Civil Rights Tour during Fall Break 2015. Through performance and the use of multimedia, the Scholars will reflect on experiences and knowledge gained through their travels to parts of Georgia and Alabama. This is a presentation you do not want to miss!

For more information about the 2016 MLK Celebration Week, click HERE.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact OSEMA at osema@ithaca.edu or (607) 274-3222. We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible.