Arts and Entertainment

Penn State Behrend to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.

Events pay tribute to King’s legacy, accomplishments

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, will honor Martin Luther King Jr. with a week of events and activities beginning Monday, Jan. 19.

The program begins at noon in the McGarvey Commons of the Reed Union Building with a presentation of the theatrical play “Fifty Years On: Soul of a Nation.” Performed by Los Angeles-based Will & Company, the production explores the social justice issues of 50 years ago and examines what they have become today. A campus family brunch precedes the play, beginning at 11 a.m.

The following events will also be held throughout the week:

-- Monday, Jan. 19: “I AM …” March. Penn State Behrend students, faculty members and staff are encouraged to join the Association of Black Collegians (ABC) for a march around campus to honor King’s legacy. The march is also a fundraiser as ABC students will raise money for local high school students to help with expenses related to their college application (SAT, admission fees, etc.) 2 p.m., McGarvey Commons

-- Tuesday, Jan. 20: Students and MLK Commemoration Committee members will visit the Early Learning Center and hold activities with the children related to MLK. 3:30 p.m., Early Learning Center

-- Wednesday, Jan. 21: The Harlem Quartet. The quartet seeks to advance diversity in classical music by engaging young and new audiences with the presentation of varied repertoire, including works by minority composers. The quartet received a 2013 Grammy Award for their collaboration with jazz pianist Chick Corea. Presented by Music at Noon: The Logan Series. Noon, McGarvey Commons

-- Wednesday, Jan. 21: Poverty simulation. Hosted by the Human Relations Programming Council, the Poverty Simulation is a unique and powerful tool designed to deepen understanding of poverty. Participants roleplay as a member of a low-income household to discover the challenge of meeting basic needs when income is limited. 5 to 7 p.m., McGarvey Commons

-- Thursday, Jan. 22: “Dear White People.” The film follows the stories of four black students at an Ivy League college where a riot breaks out over a popular African-American themed party thrown by white students. It explores racial identity in “post-racial” America while emphasizing the importance of forging your own path in the world. 5:30 p.m., Reed Auditorium. (The film will be shown again at 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 25.)

Penn State Behrend’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemoration is sponsored by the Office of Educational Equity and Diversity Programs, and the Student Activity Fee. For more information, call 814-898-7101 or email DiversityBehrend@psu.edu.

 

Last Updated January 8, 2015

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