Division News & Statements
MLK speaker: use King's actions to combat systemic racism
January 18, 2016
(This story originally appeared on GVNext)
Grand Valley kicked off its commemoration of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King January 18 with a full day of activities, including a keynote presentation from an author and social commentator who suggested one way to combat systemic racism in America is to remember King's actions.
Touré spoke before a capacity crowd in the Fieldhouse, following a silent march through campus. He is a former contributor to NBC and MSNBC, contributing editor to "Rolling Stone" and other publications, and has written several books.
He said he took inspiration from the large crowd participating in the march, but said remembering and discussing King comes with a "heavy heart."
"His guidance would have been critical at this moment in our country when black people are dying," Touré said.
Touré said the #BlackLivesMatter movement is a crucial step to healing race relations as it brings awareness to incidents of injustice and police violence. He said wide gaps in education and income between whites and people of color, and the large proportion of blacks who are incarcerated have led to systemic racism.
"How do we begin to combat this?" he asked. "We turn to the book of King. He was there with love for his oppressors. What you get from loving your enemies is building a movement that people will want to join."
He encouraged students to see all civil rights movements — for the LGBT community, women, people of color — as linked together. "When we fight as a united group, we can stand on the shoulders of King to make the world a better place," Touré said.
Social justice activities were offered in the morning and afternoon in the Kirkhof Center. The university's commemoration week will continue Wednesday, January 20, with a keynote presentation from Patrisse Cullors, one of the founders of #BlackLivesMatter. Cullors will speak at 4:30 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center, Grand River Room, following a community workshop at 3 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public.
Cullors' keynote presentation will be simulcast to an audience in Loosemore Auditorium at the DeVos Center, not the Eberhard Center as previously planned.
Follow Grand Valley's MLK week activities on social media using #GVSUMLK. For more information on the week's activities, visit www.gvsu.edu/mlk.
For More Information Contact: Michele Coffill in University Communications - (616) 331-2221