Rev. Nyle Fort Speaks on Martin Luther King Jr.
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and as part of a year-long speaker series designed to introduce a variety of voices to our community, the school hosted renowned social justice activist Rev. Nyle Fort last Tuesday. A passionate speaker who beautifully wove Dr. King’s words together with a message of love and solidarity, Mr. Fort addressed the community at All School Meeting in Flickinger Arts Center.
“Nyle related Martin Luther King Jr. Day to his own experiences. He talked a lot about how, in his opinion, we reduce the holiday to ‘I have a dream’ when in reality, Dr. King was very controversial and was more than just that speech” recalls Molly ’17. “I think that People appreciated the fact that he encouraged disagreement. He said you are entitled to your own opinions but you can’t choose your own facts.”
The common thread that connects Nyle Fort to this year’s speaker series was apparent throughout the community. Trevor ’18 commented, “Much like Kip Bordelon, he [Fort] tried to voice his concerns about discrimination, not to those who don’t already know about it, but to those who think that racism is dead in America.” Molly remarked, “He reinforced a lot of what we’ve been talking about this year and for me, I’m going to the women’s march this weekend in Montpelier, I will definitely be thinking about Dr. King.”
When asked the impact of this year’s speaker series, Trevor comments, “My outlook has changed. I was raised in a predominantly African American neighborhood and while discrimination was always at my front door, my family believed that racism wasn’t really a problem. It’s only been at KUA that I have been exposed to really good speakers who can show me specifically how racism and discrimination are problems in the United States.”
Perhaps the most inspiring message Mr. Fort promoted was to embrace our individual identities, but to also look through those identities to find a common ground; a “solidarity that will allow us to remake the world.” Thanks to Nyle Fort, for his thoughtful address and stay tuned for more news from our 2016-17 speaker series.
“Nyle related Martin Luther King Jr. Day to his own experiences. He talked a lot about how, in his opinion, we reduce the holiday to ‘I have a dream’ when in reality, Dr. King was very controversial and was more than just that speech” recalls Molly ’17. “I think that People appreciated the fact that he encouraged disagreement. He said you are entitled to your own opinions but you can’t choose your own facts.”
The common thread that connects Nyle Fort to this year’s speaker series was apparent throughout the community. Trevor ’18 commented, “Much like Kip Bordelon, he [Fort] tried to voice his concerns about discrimination, not to those who don’t already know about it, but to those who think that racism is dead in America.” Molly remarked, “He reinforced a lot of what we’ve been talking about this year and for me, I’m going to the women’s march this weekend in Montpelier, I will definitely be thinking about Dr. King.”
When asked the impact of this year’s speaker series, Trevor comments, “My outlook has changed. I was raised in a predominantly African American neighborhood and while discrimination was always at my front door, my family believed that racism wasn’t really a problem. It’s only been at KUA that I have been exposed to really good speakers who can show me specifically how racism and discrimination are problems in the United States.”
Perhaps the most inspiring message Mr. Fort promoted was to embrace our individual identities, but to also look through those identities to find a common ground; a “solidarity that will allow us to remake the world.” Thanks to Nyle Fort, for his thoughtful address and stay tuned for more news from our 2016-17 speaker series.
