Activist and Author Kevin Powell Delivers MLK Speech
Kimball Union welcomed Kevin Powell, a civil and human-rights activist and widely published author, as part of its commemoration of the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday.
Powell delivered a talk virtually to Kimball Union Academy entitled, “Looking for Martin: Why Dr. King and His ‘Dream’ Still Matter.”
"You’re not future leaders, tomorrow leaders – you’re leaders right now," Powell told students. "The world has always changed because of the energy, the vision, and the spirit of young people. This is what we need now, more than ever."
Throughout his session, Powell emphasized the importance of educating oneself and being a lifelong student to create lasting change in the world.
"You’re not future leaders, tomorrow leaders – you’re leaders right now," Powell told students. "The world has always changed because of the energy, the vision, and the spirit of young people. This is what we need now, more than ever."
Throughout his session, Powell emphasized the importance of educating oneself and being a lifelong student to create lasting change in the world.
"The questions that are going to be asked of everyone at KUA is, what did you do in the spirit of Dr. King, with the time you had on this earth, to make a difference? Did you do anything? Did you try to help, or did you sit on the sidelines and act like nothing was happening at all?" said Powell. "In looking for the impact of Dr. King’s work today, the question is, what are you going to do with the time you have?"
"King’s legacy and message are still valuable and ring true today," says Alexis Liston '03, Dean of Community Life and Belonging. "There’s no question that we are living in a time of racial unrest in this country, and it's a true gift to be able to hit the pause button and engage in these conversations, to hear from different people, and to talk about different perspectives."
Powell served as a journalist for numerous media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, The Nation, NPR, ESPN, and Essence, among others. He authored 14 books, including When We Free the World, an essay collection addressing freedom, justice, and equality in America; and his autobiography, The Education of Kevin Powell: A Boy’s Journey into Manhood, currently in film production. His upcoming book is a biography of Tupac Shakur, whom Kevin interviewed several times during his tenure as a senior writer for Vibe. In addition to literary work, Powell served as a curator for the first exhibit on the history of hip-hop in America at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. View the recorded session here.
Building upon the discussion facilitated by Powell, the KUA community engaged in workshops offered by students participating in the Community Action block. Topics for these workshops included gender equity in sports, civil rights music, racial equity in healthcare, and numerous other topics rooted in equity and inclusion.
Building upon the discussion facilitated by Powell, the KUA community engaged in workshops offered by students participating in the Community Action block. Topics for these workshops included gender equity in sports, civil rights music, racial equity in healthcare, and numerous other topics rooted in equity and inclusion.
In the afternoon, the DEIJ Athletic Council hosted an exhibition hockey game and highlighted the work of the KUA Community Action Groups. Mixed gender teams from the Boys and Girls Hockey Teams played a short game, while groups shared information from their work on the concourse of Akerstorm Arena.
“His example is our call to action,” said Bill Diamond, chair of the history department, of the work of Dr. King. Diamond, who also coaches Girls Hockey, said the DEIJ Athletic Council was motivated by the work of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, which is working to eradicate systemic racism and intolerance in hockey.
On the evening prior, students also watched King In The Wilderness, a documentary which chronicles the final chapters of Dr. King’s life, revealing a conflicted leader who faced an onslaught of criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. The film draws on conversations with those who knew Dr. King well, including many fellow members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Students were asked to participate in sharing circles, in which they considered the context and impact of Dr. King’s work, as well as the parallels between the racial discrimination Dr. King fought during the civil rights movement and the racial unrest in the United States today.
On the evening prior, students also watched King In The Wilderness, a documentary which chronicles the final chapters of Dr. King’s life, revealing a conflicted leader who faced an onslaught of criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. The film draws on conversations with those who knew Dr. King well, including many fellow members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Students were asked to participate in sharing circles, in which they considered the context and impact of Dr. King’s work, as well as the parallels between the racial discrimination Dr. King fought during the civil rights movement and the racial unrest in the United States today.
