Keynote speakers will link King's legacy to current events during MLK Commemoration Week

LaTosha Brown, co-founder of several organizations dedicated to boosting Black voter registration and turnout, will kick off events on campus during the week of January 20 that commemorate the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Brown will visit GVSU's Allendale Campus on Tuesday, January 21, at 10 a.m. for a conversation with President Philomena V. Mantella in the Kirkhof Center, Grand River Room. The event is free and open to the public. It will also be live-streamed via Zoom webinar .

Brown, a recognized expert in Black voting rights and voter suppression, is the co-founder of Black Voters Matter, Black Voters Matter Fund and the Black Voters Matter Capacity Building Institute. She also founded and serves as co-anchor of a regional network called the Southern Black Girls & Women’s Consortium, a $100 million initiative to invest in organizations that serve Black women and girls.

Thanks to a longstanding partnership among Grand Valley, Davenport University and Grand Rapids Community College, Brown will give the keynote presentation on Monday, January 20, at the 39th annual West Michigan community celebration at Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids. That event will also be livestreamed . Brown will visit Davenport's campus later in the week.

President Philomena V. Mantella said: “Dr. King’s messages about equity, opportunity and education continue to serve as a call for action for us. Our university looks forward to reflecting on his words and also using them to inspire our future work.”

MLK Commemoration Week at GVSU

Campus events continue through January 25; they are detailed below. Additional information can be found on the MLK website .

Dar Mayweather, ’07 and ’09, founder and CEO of Good Mayweather Consulting and a faculty member at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, will give a presentation on Wednesday, January 22, at 4:30 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center, Grand River Room. The Voices of GVSU gospel choir, led by Cassonya Carter, will also perform. The event will be livestreamed via Zoom webinar. 

A silent march around campus to reflect on King's life will begin at 4 p.m. at Zumberge Hall and lead into the Kirkhof Center.

As a first-generation college student, Mayweather pushed beyond challenges to earn a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, master's degree in education and a doctorate in educational leadership. During his presentation, Mayweather will use the lesser-known stories about King to discuss the challenges of social change leadership.

January 25: Day of Service

The Office of Student Life will host nearly 300 students for service activities throughout West Michigan. Students will start the day at 8 a.m. in the Kirkhof Center and will be transported to various host sites. The day concludes with lunch on campus and a presentation from graduate student Albert Okwei, who is interning at the Urban League of West Michigan. Students can register for this event on the Civic Engagement website .