New Kensington

New Kensington Unity Day to honor Martin Luther King Jr., target injustice

Chancellor Kevin Snider, right, lit the first Unity Candle at Unity Day last year as members of the local community followed. The seven-year tradition, which honors Martin Luther King Jr., continues Jan. 26 at Penn State New Kensington.  Credit: Penn State New Kensington / Penn StateCreative Commons

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- Penn State New Kensington, in conjunction with Hightower Scholars Inc., will honor the life of Martin Luther King Jr. from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 26, at the campus.

“Celebration of Unity,” which includes a community dinner, is the campus' seventh annual tribute to King’s life. The focus of the commemoration is social justice issues, community advocacy and respect for all individuals.

“We are promoting unity and peaceful solutions to difficult societal issues through community service, community activism, advocacy for human rights and individuals standing up to eliminate bias and hate in our communities,” said Theresa Bonk, director of student affairs at the campus.

The campus celebration opens with a community forum, “A Conversation with Law Enforcement,” from 2-3 p.m. in the Art Gallery. A panel of local law enforcement representatives and students will discuss building trust and strong relationships between community and police. The forum will be facilitated by LaVarr McBride, coordinator and instructor in the administration of justice program.

The pot-luck dinner will feature a musical performance by Kareem Washington and the lighting of the unity candle by members from the campus, local community, area businesses and neighborhood churches. All events are free to the public.

The event is a part of the campus’ weeklong commemoration of King and his dream of equality among the races. Kicking off the schedule is spoken word artist Odd Rod at noon Monday, Jan. 25, in Café 780, the campus cafeteria.

The largest event of the week is the Community Resource Nonprofit Volunteer and Advocacy Fair that runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27, in the theater and main entrance lobbies. Charitable groups will set up booths to talk about the community service opportunities available at the organizations.

The next day features a special screening of “Selma” at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 28 in Café 780. The movie follows King’s journey to secure voting rights for all.

The celebration concludes with an open mic at noon on Friday, Jan. 29, in Café 780. Students. Faculty and staff are encouraged to share their thoughts and experiences regarding the slain civil rights leader.

For more information on MLK activities, call 724-334-6062.

Last Updated January 20, 2016

Contact