On Monday, Jan. 16, the Luther Seminary community and guests gathered in the Olson Campus Center to celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. The theme for this year’s celebration was Guide My Feet and sought to move people to social action.
The morning began with a talk by Great-Grandmother Mary Lyons, Ojibwe/First Nations. Next, Ericka Huggins, a human rights activist, poet, educator, Black Panther leader and former political prisoner, delivered the keynote address. Huggins told the story of her involvement with the Black Panthers and her incarceration. She talked about how she learned to reframe her situation and resolved to tell others her story and help them to reframe their own. Huggins then led the assembly in a discussion using some pointed questions. She explained and modeled how our community can challenge fear and anger by holding honest conversation, reframing our situations and moving to work together for change.
After the keynote, Danny Givens Jr., senior pastor of Above Every Name Ministries, preached during the worship service. The event concluded with a free community meal open to all.
Here are some community member’s experiences:
University of Minnesota professor Ezra Hyland noted that it was powerful to meet someone who played a key role in changing U.S. history. “This is my first [Luther Seminary MLK Day event], but being in such a diverse setting with the community and academy, American Indians and African Americans together was particularly powerful.”
Student Vianney Blomgren said, “Ms. Ericka Huggins’ talk was moving. Coming from an interracial marriage and both having different views as to what the Black Panther stood for, we were able to have an educated discussion. One thing was for certain, after experiencing Ericka Huggins, we both left in awe, she is amazing, loving and peaceful … to my family, she was life changing.”
Interim Seminary Pastor Justin Lind-Ayres remarked, “I think one of the more important aspects of the MLK Day gathering at Luther Seminary is the enduring commitment to the living legacy of MLK. That is, we gather to recognize that MLK continues to call us to the work of racial justice, economic equity, and nonviolent resistance to the insidious military industrial complex.”
Student Kelly Sherman Conroy commented on her take-aways from the event: “It is far too easy to forget or rewrite our history, especially when forgetting eases our conscience. However as we learned from the three great speakers and the many students who shared their deeply personal thoughts, history compels us to remember. God has a way of changing the world by bringing people together, by creating movements within us and together. We live in transformative times which demand deep, grounded commitment.”
Richard Webb, chief diversity officer, Luther Seminary said, “What was powerful for me was the part of Erica Huggins address where she had question-and-answer with participants. It was moving to hear people’s voices and courageous conversations about race, culture and history happening with authenticity in and about our community … we have much opportunity and work to do here at Luther Seminary listening and acting upon how God calls us to live with eradicating racism and other types of social oppression.”
You can view the whole celebration at www.youtube.com/lutherseminary. To view photos of the event, go to www.flickr.com/lutherseminary, select albums, then click 2017 MLK day.