The 33rd Fox Cities Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration will be held Jan. 15 in Lawrence University’s Memorial Chapel. The event, set for 6 to 7:30 p.m., marks a return to an in-person celebration after several years of being held online.
Presented by Lawrence University in partnership with People of Progression, Appleton Area School District, United Way Fox Cities, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley, and the City of Appleton, the event celebrates the vision and legacy of the civil rights icon.
Jan. 15 is MLK Day, a federal holiday in the United States, observed on the third Monday of January each year.
"We are excited to be back to an in-person event for the first time since Covid,” said Lissette Cruz-Jiménez, director of Lawrence’s Diversity and Intercultural Center and a lead organizer of the MLK Celebration. “We look forward to having the community join us.”
Cainan Davenport, president of the Appleton-based People of Progression, will deliver the keynote address, "We Have a Dream.”
Dr. Adriana McCleer, community partnerships supervisor with the Appleton Public Library, will serve as the highlight speaker. The 2024 Jane LaChapelle McCarty MLK Community Leader Award and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Educator Award will be presented. Musical performances will include NOIR, a Lawrence University student group. Star Scholars will present music and poetry.
The MLK Celebration is free and open to the public.
I.D.E.A.S. Division (Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, Anti-Racism, and Support Services) helps students explore the Lawrentian Community's diverse cultural heritage.
Ed Berthiaume
Ed Berthiaume is director of public information at Lawrence University.