Since 1986, Americans around the nation have honored Martin Luther King, Jr. during the MLK Jr. weekend, and this weekend was no different at Ohio University.
Around 30 Athens residents, OU students and faculty members gathered Monday morning on the steps of Galbreath Chapel and marched toward Baker University Center, where a brunch was held immediately after.
“Martin Luther King did a lot for us, and marching is a way for us to repay him and thank him,” said Rashida Dortch, a sophomore studying accounting.
Donald Lindsay, president of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and a senior studying marketing and Japanese, said he felt the march was well attended, although he had hoped that the weather would result in a larger turnout.
The march was a way to symbolize what MLK Jr. stood for, Lindsay said.
“Marching in silence reenacts what protesters did and symbolizes the nonviolence which MLK stood for,” Lindsay said. “It was a way for people to come together and be unified to pay respects for a man who did so much.”
The Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity was one of nine organizations co-sponsoring the weekend’s events.
The brunch featured keynote speaker Kemba Smith-Pradia, advocate and author of Poster Child: The Kemba Smith-Pradia Story.
Smith-Pradia is known for her work in reversing a trend in the rise of lengthy sentences for first-time, nonviolent drug offenders, according to the Kemba Smith-Pradia Foundation. After being wrapped up in a four-year abusive relationship with a crack cocaine dealer, Smith-Pradia was sentenced to 24.5 years in prison for a first-time, nonviolent crack cocaine offense.
After Smith-Pradia served nearly seven years of her sentence, President Bill Clinton granted her clemency in December 2000, and her story has since been featured by various television programs and publications.
“Her message this year was inspirational,” Lindsay said. “She talked about how one can overcome difficult circumstances with hard work. We can come out of weak or dire experiences with the strength to persevere and follow our dreams.”
Vincent Harris, graduate student and graduate coordinator for LINKS and event organizer, said that brunch had sold out, with about 350 tickets.
All of the money raised went toward paying for the brunch and the speaker. An additional $160 was collected through donations for the MLK Jr. Memorial Foundation in D.C.
Lindsay said he hopes students and community members left with a renewed sense of inspiration.
“I hope the brunch offered encouragement for those in difficult times or situations,” Lindsay said. “The situations may not be the same as Kemba’s, but the same perseverance that backed her can be applied the same for students now. With hard work and dedication, they can move through the years.”
ao007510@ohiou.edu
