Ithaca College

Faculty, staff, and students lead the campus community in presentations and dialogues that explore a variety of topics and subjects rooted in social justice and the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  

Thursday, Jan. 28, 12:10 – 1:00 pm, Klingenstein Lounge

Presenter:  Ann-Marie Adams, Lecturer, Strategic Communication

Title:  A Place of Peace in Trade, Politics, and Social History

Trade, politics and social history procured the elegance of the Lowcountry region of South Carolina by vast quantities of slave labor and money.  The same three elements continue to define the region today.  Once agricultural centers for cotton, rice and indigo the region is now viewed as a premier destination for leisure tourism and outdoor recreation.  Most notable among the cultures converging in the Lowcountry region is the Gullah influence on Saint Helena Island, South Carolina.  A place known for vocal advocacy on behalf of the black residents of Beaufort County.

Thursday, Jan. 28, 12:10 – 1:00 pm, Clark Lounge

Presenter:  Cyndy Scheibe, Professor, Psychology and Culture & Communications

Title: "Media Constructions of Martin Luther King Jr.

How have our impressions of Martin Luther King, Jr. (and social justice activism in general) been framed by the media messages we see and hear?  This workshop will explore past and current portrayals of Dr. King in a wide range of media formats (including speeches, film clips, comic books, magazine covers, songs, and websites) taken from curriculum materials developed by Project Look Sharp, Ithaca College’s national media literacy initiative.  The discussion will include how media literacy approaches can be used to move people to action and to effectively advocate for social justice issues.

Thursday, Jan. 28,  7:00 – 8:00 pm, Klingenstein Lounge

Presenter:  Sean Eversley Bradwell, Assistant Professor, Center for the Student of Race, Culture and Ethnicity

Title:  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Black Power

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dedicates the second chapter of his last book to examine and ultimately argue against Black Power.  In framing the chapter within a larger diaspora and historical context, the workshop is designed to unpack Dr. King’s writing on ‘Black Power’ and asks participants to explore the relevance of the chapter for today’s social justice movements.

Thursday, Jan. 28,  7:00 – 8:00 pm, Clark Lounge

Presenters:  Harriet Malinowitz, Lecturer, Writing; Beth Harris, Associate Professor (retired), Politics; Dubian Ade and Andrea Levine, IC Alumni

Title:  From Tamir to Amir: Black and Palestinian Lives Matter

In August 2015, more than 1,000 black activists – among them Angela Davis, Cornell West, and five Ithacans including an IC graduate – released a statement of solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for freedom and justice.  As we confront the impunity with which U.S. officers routinely kill black Americans – including children – many are just becoming aware of the corresponding situation in Israel/Palestine.  But how can one begin to engage with activism on this issue?  This workshop will address some of the obstacles facing U.S. students and how they may be confronted.

 For more info about MLK Celebration Week, visit https://www.ithaca.edu/sacl/osema/mlkcelebration/

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact The Office of Student Engagement and Multicultural Affairs at osema@ithaca.edu or (607) 274-3222. We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible.