On Monday, January 20, Indiana University celebrated the 39th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a national holiday. Among the many activities hosted across IU campuses, the MLK Leadership Breakfast at Bloomington’s IMU Alumni Hall began the “day on” with a powerful start.
The breakfast featured inspiring musical performances by a jazz trio from the Jacobs School of Music—Austin Thomas, Tate Sherma and Michael Santos— and a soulful vocal performance by Kathiana Dargenson, Ambriehl McCoy-Ivy and Jerrell Gray. Attendees also heard special remarks from President Pamela Whitten; Interim Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Rashad Nelms; Provost Rahul Shrivastav and keynote speaker Rev. Leah Gunning Francis, Indiana University Health’s senior vice president and chief mission and values officer.
The morning began with networking and fellowship as students, faculty, staff and community members connected over breakfast. Interim Vice President Nelms welcomed attendees, setting an inspiring tone for the event. Throughout the program, speakers and performers honored Dr. King’s legacy while encouraging attendees to take decisive action to create a more equitable society.
The keynote address by Rev. Gunning Francis was a highlight of the event. Her passionate speech centered on the importance of action and collaboration to become agents of change. “The way things are, are not what they have to be,” she said, urging the audience to work together to realize Dr. King’s vision. “We must be ready to act and work together to be the change which brings around the world Dr. King envisioned for everyone.”
This powerful message resonated deeply with attendees. Catherine (Caty) Pilachowski, a distinguished professor in the Department of Astronomy, shared her reflections: “This event recognizes the activities and efforts our campus makes to build an inclusive community; to welcome and respect everyone. I believe this event serves to underscore those values on our campus in a way we can all share and remember and motivate ourselves to live those values every day,” Prof. Pilachowski shared.
The event also served as a meaningful gathering for IU alumni. David Girton, senior vice president of Blaylock Van, LLC, reconnected with Keith Graves, a member of the Indianapolis City Council. “It was great to connect with Keith, whom I stand here with now, and individuals like Dr. Charlie Nelms, Dr. Carmen White, and President Whitten. It was not only a time to reconnect with everyone and share stories of how everything is going, but it provided time to further display how we can help students in all manners of ways for them to succeed, like with what I do for The Indiana Project,” Girton shared.
Graves echoed these sentiments, adding, “It was a wonderful time mingling with old friends as we all gather for an important day. I think it’s important that we continue to tell the story of Dr. King so that his vision can live on, as Rev. Gunning Francis mentioned, and that we use today as a reminder to stay motivated to create change and give voices to all as we saw in today’s speakers and musical performances.”
As the event concluded, soloist Jerrell Gray led the room in a performance of Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday” to keep the positive energy flowing throughout the crowd. The large attendance served as a testament to the importance of honoring the legacy of Dr. King and the shared determination to build a more equitable and inclusive future.