Chief Diversity Equity and Inclusion Officer for ASMSU and a member of the 2025 MLK Planning Committee Alex Guo said these specific events were chosen because they showcase the community overall. 

"Outside of the fact that a lot of these events are beloved events that the community continues to support, these events really highlight different aspects of not only the committee but our university," Guo said.

Guo also believes that the celebration itself is important because of its focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

"It's celebrations like these, people who have brought us to where we are right now and how we can continue moving forward with the vision of MLK, which is a world that celebrates every individual, that doesn't discriminate, that is focusing on inclusivity, and focusing on our values as an institution, which is really uplifting everyone," Guo said.

Thursday, Jan. 16

On Thursday, Jan. 16, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Unity Dinner will be held at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center in the Big Ten Rooms from 5:30-7:30 p.m., with the doors opening at 4:45 p.m.

The Unity Dinner will be hosted by the Residence Education and Housing Services, Office for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion and Residence Halls Association.

During the event, this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Endowed Scholarship recipients will be announced. Additionally, the Unity Dinner will feature keynote speaker Sharon Chia Claros, a DEIB practitioner/scholar, graduate and undergraduate speakers and musical performances. MSU President Dr. Kevin M. Guskiewicz and MSU Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Dr. Jabbar Bennett will also be in attendance.

The event is free, but registration is required.

Guo said the Unity Dinner is one of the main events he is especially looking forward. 

"I think it's going to be a really awesome event, especially with that event being primarily where you see a lot of focus on DEI," Guo said. "With this event, there's going to be a lot of DEI speakers."

Friday, Jan. 17

On Friday, Jan. 17, "Weekend Wellness: A Dreamer’s Mindset, Healthy Strategies for Achieving Wellness and Building Community" will be held at IM East.

The MLK Student Planning Committee will host a health and wellness Fair and the "Spartan Glow and Flow" roller skating event in order to promote campus-wide wellness and healthy goal-setting.

The "Spartan Glow and Flow" Family Skating Event is from 5-7 p.m., and the health and wellness fair will be from 6:30-9 p.m. From 8 p.m. to midnight, the separate "Late Night Spartan Glow and Flow" skating event will be held. 

This event, ​​hosted by the Student Planning Committee, Residence Halls Association, Recreational Sports and Fitness Services and Department of Student Development and Leadership, will provide giveaways, food and t-shirts.

Skates will also be provided to participants, free of charge.

Saturday, Jan. 18

On Saturday, Jan. 18, MLK Student Symposium "Voices of the Dream: For Us, By Us" will be held at the MSU Union in the Ballroom and Lake Erie room from 2:45-6:45 p.m., with check-in beginning at 2:15 p.m.

The symposium will be hosted by the Student Planning Committee, Office for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion and Office of Spartan Experiences.

The event, also hosted by the MLK Student Planning Committee, will feature keynote speakers, presentations, entertainment, a soul food dinner and an informational and student organizational resource fair.

A symposium packet will also be provided. 

Sunday, Jan. 19

On Sunday, Jan. 19, MLK Student Committee Ecumenical Service will be held at the MSU Alumni Memorial Chapel at 1:30 p.m. 

Hosted by the Student Planning Committee, the event will feature a speaker from "Truth Seekers," a campus ministry group, and the MSU Gospel Choir. Directly after the Ecumenical Service, a soul food reception will follow. 

This event is free to attend and requires no registration.

Additionally, on Sunday, Jan. 19, the "Jazz: Spirituals, Prayer and Protest" concert will be held at the Fairchild Theatre at 3 p.m. 

Hosted by the College of Music, the MSU Jazz Orchestra and jazz vocalists from the program, along with alumni, will perform various songs that embody the theme of "I Have a Dream for the World."

This performance will include the works of jazz artists including Pharaoh Sanders, Louis Savary, Gary McFarland, Abbey Lincoln, Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog, Jr. Additionally, works of contemporary artists like Lauryn Hill, Stevie Wonder, Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson will also be featured.

This event is free of charge. Tickets can be reserved, and some seats will be available at the door. 

Monday, Jan. 20

On Monday, Jan. 20, the MLK Commemorative March will take place at 9 a.m., starting at the Beaumont Tower and ending at the Multicultural Center.

Hosted by the Student Planning Committee and the MSU Divine Nine National Pan-Hellenic Council, a reception will also be held at the Multicultural Center after the march.

Individual march participants are not required to register. However, organizations wanting to participate are asked to register in advance.  

Tuesday, Jan. 21

On Tuesday, Jan. 21, the Social Justice Film and Discussion on Fannie Lou Hamer’s "America" will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the MSU Library in the Green Room.

Hosted by MSU Libraries and WKAR Public Media, the screening will also be followed by a panel discussion and Q&A featuring Tamera Carter (Lansing City Council), Trini Pehlivanoglu (Lansing City Council), Cindy Villarreal-Medina (student, MSU College of Social Science), and will be moderated by Erika Vallejo (Ph.D. candidate, Political Science). Light refreshments and snacks will be provided.

This event will be free of charge and open to the public. However, registration is encouraged. 

There will also be a virtual option available through Zoom.

Thursday, Jan. 23

On Thursday, Jan. 23, Coffee and Conversation will take place from 9-10:30 a.m. at Chittenden Hall.

Hosted by MSU Women of Color Community, Dr. LaShawn Harris, an associate professor of history at MSU, will lead a discussion on contributions, challenges, and legacy of Black women in civil rights, equity and social justice. 

The first 20 individuals to register will receive a free copy of Dr. LaShawn Harris' book.

Additionally, on Thursday, Jan. 23, MLK Observance by the MSU Medical Colleges will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. at Conrad Hall Auditorium. 

Hosted by College of Human Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, and Health Sciences, director of the Michigan Public Health Institute's Center for Racial and Social Justice Shondra L. Marshall, Ph.D., will lead a talk.

Light refreshments will be served and an RSVP is asked to be filled out.

Friday, Jan. 24

On Friday, Jan. 24, the MLK Historical Landmark Virtual Student Engagement Exchange will take place from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Clara Bell Smith Center Auditorium.

Hosted by the Student Planning Committee and Morehouse College, this collaboration features virtual viewings of historical MLK landmarks in the city of Atlanta.

A light lunch and door prizes will be provided.

Additionally, a virtual option is available through Zoom.

Events happening all week

Until Feb. 28, the MLK Commemorative Celebration "Stuff the Library" event will be taking place. 

Hosted by the Alumni Office, Center for Community Engaged Learning, University Health and Wellbeing, and MSU Student Food Bank, this event works toward filling school libraries with a variety of books on social justice topics and characters representing diverse backgrounds.

Individuals can participate by purchasing a book through their Amazon Wishlist, donating money, or by mailing or dropping off books to the MSU Student Food Bank, which is located at the Olin Health Center, Suite 151.

For more information on these events, visit the calendar of events here.