Purdue Northwest celebrates MLK Day
LaVada Taylor, professor of Education, emcees during PNW’s MLK Day celebration at the Westville campus.
Purdue University Northwest (PNW) celebrated its annual MLK Day recognition through several events intended to not only honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, but also capture the spirit of social justice and service to the community.
Ahead of the federal holiday, PNW invited local community members to help lead community conversations focused on racial inequality and voter suppression in Northwest Indiana.
These sessions were followed by keynote speaker Carol Anderson, an acclaimed author and the Charles Howard Candler Professor of African American Studies at Emory University.
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In the days after its main celebration, PNW also sponsored and facilitated several volunteer service activities.
PNW is helping sponsor the Black K.A.R.E. (Kidney Awareness Resources and Education) Weekend Backpack Program, which is being done in partnership with the Northern Indiana Chapter of The Links, Inc. The Links is collaborating with the Northwest Indiana Food Bank to offer food insecure children and families groceries for weekends and school breaks at Frankie McCullough Academy in Gary throughout the rest of the school year.
On the federal MLK Day holiday, PNW also hosted volunteer service opportunities on campus benefitting the PNW Food Pantry and the multicultural and student-family lounges.
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For more information about PNW’s cultural heritage celebrations, visit the Cultural Heritage Celebration Committee’s website.
From left, Yesenia Rosales-Avalos, associate director for Student Success and Retention; David Bolton, Student Government Association President and third-year Communication major; and Barbara Bolling-Williams, president of the NAACP’s Indiana State Conference and member of the NAACP’s national board of directors help facilitate a community conversation focused on voter suppression in Northwest Indiana.
PNW students, faculty, staff, and community members participate in a community conversation centered on racial inequality in Northwest Indiana.
Britt Hudson, assistant dean of students, emcees during PNW’s MLK Day celebration at the Hammond campus.