"We are here with hope that our difference makes a difference so that the anticipated Black future’s burdens will suffer less," Chairperson of the Department of African and African American Studies (AAAS) Dr. Ruth Nicole Brown said. "Or, if possible, opt out of suffering altogether because of our radical presence to practice community."

Brown and her colleague, associate professor of the AAAS department Dr. Leconté J. Dill, gracefully "flew" into the MSU Union ballroom with glowing wings. As they moved towards the stage, the audience followed, their eyes and imaginations in tow. Once on stage, it became clear that this was not just a space to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy; it was a place to make his dream a reality.  

"Sometimes revolution is as simple and powerful as wearing your wings as play, because it’s something about our light, that when you see this shimmer … you can’t help but to shine," Brown said.  

 Brown and Dill delivered a keynote address that focused on community building, making space for one’s emotions and breath work. 

"We began early on in our offering today with grounding — so meditation, mindfulness, getting people back to their breath, whether they practice that regularly or not, it doesn't matter because we were guiding them," Dill explained. 

Brown also spoke to the legacy of King, and how the impact of civil rights leaders inspired the work it took to create an AAAS department at Michigan State. 

"The life, work, and legacy of Dr. King motivates me to come out, to be a part of something bigger than myself, and I know that there have been so many students, staff, faculty and community folks who fought for our department to exist," Brown said. "Who organized in the tradition of Dr. King, Ella Baker, Fannie Lou Hamer, and all the names for us, to do the work that we're doing now. So, it is an honor and a privilege for me to continue that and to carry it forward."

After delivering a moving address, the audience was encouraged to do something radical: dance unapologetically, Soul Train style.  

Music filled the ballroom as "Not Like Us" by Kendrick Lamar boomed from the speakers, followed in short succession by Frankie Beverly’s "Before I Let Go," not to mention the classic Marvin Gaye ballad that pulled everyone onto the floor.  

The symposium was an expression of community, but moreover a display of radical, infectious joy. The participants danced down the aisle to show that Dr. King’s dream was alive and well. People of all generations, races and backgrounds got together to do one thing: boogie.  

One dancer stood out as one of the student leaders who spearheaded the inaugural Student Leader-focused symposium. Student affairs and administration graduate student Jakaira Lynn partnered with economics junior Kaden Johnson to plan ways they could improve the annual conference.

"We were like, 'okay, what are other components that we should have to make this an engaging but also educational experience?'" Lynn said. "So that's how we came up with the breakout sessions, and when we looked at the relevance, our theme is the progress toward civil rights. So, you’ve got to think about what's hindering us as Black and brown students at a (predominantly white institution)."

After a lackluster experience at the conference in her first year, Lynn decided to use her role on the MLK Committee to find ways to make the event more interactive for those in attendance. Thus, the Soul Train dance party and breakout sessions were born.

"Navigating life at a PWI is one of our sessions because oftentimes we are the only ones in our classrooms or workspaces ... and then we've got to check in on you because, after all, being the only one and navigating life through a PWI, we also have to make sure our mental wellness is okay, and oftentimes a lot of spaces at public white institutions do not allow that," Lynn said.

 The Student Leader Symposium served as a space for community building and finding connections to Dr. King’s work, no matter what your field of study may be. M.D. candidate at the MSU College of Human Medicine Nebiyat M. Girma presented in a breakout session and talked about social justice in the medical field.  

"If you are going into a profession where you’re caring for someone, you don’t have to be a (person of color) to attend these events, this is a PWI," Girma said. "This room should be filled with people. How are you going to understand the people you are going to serve, if you do not spend time with those people you are going to serve? That’s why we see inadequate care."

The event closed with students delivering presentations, including an oratory performance, a poem and a painting that all echoed what it means to be Black at a PWI. 

"Do we need a chaperone for life’s field trip? Are we not enough? Am I not enough? Why can I not be more like you? Is it something you earn?" English sophomore Roberto Garcia read from his poem. "We remove our histories, so you feel more comfortable … We exchange a day we honor, in exchange for mercy."

The MLK Student Symposium worked to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy in a new and interactive way. Dr. Ruth Nicole Brown exemplified the message of the event with one final remark: "We are here, and we already belong."