MLK Speaker: Explore Your Story

Mulzac, the great grandnephew of the first African American to captain a fully integrated vessel during World War II and the grandson of a Tuskegee Airman, spoke to students and faculty as part of a day of activities designed to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. KUA’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Leaders planned the day of celebration and reflection, with Mulzac’s address serving as the catalyst for conversations to follow.

“I want everyone in this room to explore your story,” Mulzac told a packed Flickinger Auditorium. “Whatever your roots are, they matter. Explore them and ask yourself certain questions. Who in my family came before me? What were their struggles? Who inspired them? What legacy do I want to leave? This is student empowerment — owning your story. Use Kimball Union Academy as a launchpad to start writing that story today.”

An accomplished educational consultant and admissions advisor, Mulzac spoke of the challenges his great-grand uncle, Captain Hugh Mulzac, and grandfather, Lieutenant Colonel John I. Mulzac, faced while serving their country in a segregated U.S. military. He explained how both men overcame overt racism through leadership and a commitment to excellence and challenged those in attendance to tackle the obstacles in their lives head on.

“Their lives are about more than overcoming adversity, they’re about perseverance,” Mulzac said. “Both of them are trailblazers in their own right. The sky was not the limit for my grandfather, and the sea was not the limit for my great-grand uncle. They shouldn’t be the limit for you, either.”

Following Mulzac’s address, students met with their advisories to reflect and engage in meaningful conversations about creating change in their own lives. Students also participated in an exercise illustrating whether they agree or disagree with prompts such as the ability to create real change before graduating high school and if they feel comfortable having difficult conversations on campus.

Dean of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Matthew Williams credited KUA’s DEIB Leaders — Wisdom ’26, Wonjun ’27, Shoshanna ’27, Dash ’26, Olivia ’26, Damaya ’27, Nyasia ’27, and West ’28 — for designing the day’s programming, which began with impassioned remarks by Wisdom ’26, and was followed by a game of “Name That Tune” featuring Black artists.

“My hope for students is that they see that things they may consider ‘historical’ still have an impact on our lives today,” said Williams, adding that the number of students interested in becoming DEIB Leaders has increased exponentially during his time at KUA. “I hope students ultimately walked away curious about the ways they can show up for themselves, their community, and the larger world.”

The celebration on campus actually began Sunday night as students and faculty gathered in the Flickinger Auditorium for a live performance of “At the Table with Dr. King,” a multifaceted collaboration of music and poetry featuring historical video footage and Dr. King’s own words. The spirited performance teaches students about the American Civil Rights movement while also challenging them to engage in creative acts of service and leadership in their communities.

“It’s important to celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., to both honor the progress he made and to reflect on the work we have left in today's world,” Mia ’26 said. “Today’s programming provided a variety of perspectives, through different art forms, that resonated deeply and instilled a sense of shared empathy.”

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