The University of Kentucky’s Martin Luther King Center honored Martin Luther King Jr.’s work, as well as students, organizations and faculty who serve their community during their annual Legacy Dinner and Awards.
Sherelle Roberts, mistress of ceremonies for the event and lecturer at UK’s Lewis Honors College, said the Legacy Dinner and Awards acknowledge community members “that continue to shape Dr. King’s legacy and the legacy of the center.”
Among the honors presented by the MLK Center on Tuesday, Jan. 21, were the “Catalyst” award, “Community Impact” award and the “Leadership Legacy” award.
To celebrate, a student and an alumna spoke to the MLK Center to share their experiences. Then, Najiya Clayborn, a senior majoring in arts administration and theater, performed “Greatest Love of All” by Whitney Houston.
Roberts, a 2023 UK graduate with a doctorate in political science, said this was her first year attending the Legacy Dinner and Awards.
By showcasing community service efforts made by students and faculty, Roberts said she hopes attendees consider also getting involved.
“I think sometimes seeing other people doing good work makes you want to do good work,” Roberts said. “Seeing other people changing the world makes you say, ‘oh, what can I do?’”
Nigel Taylor, winner of one of the two “Heart of the Beloved” awards presented and a doctoral candidate at UK, said it was “incredible” being able to acknowledge individuals’ contributions, and that it was a “very needed” event.
“This is an opportunity, or a way, for the MLK Center to also recognize the students that they serve and the work that they’re doing,” Taylor said. “They both (MLK Center and students) are doing equal amounts of work in order to support each other and support the campus community.”
The center provides multiple services for UK’s community, including designated study areas, culturally-based programming and advising according to their website.
Taylor said as a Black doctoral candidate at UK, the MLK Center has helped him connect with other students.
“It’s really hard to go into different spaces when there’s not a lot of people that look like you, understand your experiences, understand what you’re going through,” Taylor said. “I would say going to the MLK Center has been absolutely healing, absolutely game-changing.”
The appreciation for what the MLK Center offers students was also mentioned by alumna speaker, Jazmine Rivera, the coordinator of leadership, access and community engagement at Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC).
At the beginning of her speech, Rivera said she had “a lot to be thankful for” with the impact the MLK Center had on her.
“To me, the MLK Center was my safe space, my refuge, my sanctuary, mi hogar” Rivera said during her speech. “There would be days where the MLK Center just really was the spot to be at, they have supported me through everything and their staff just helped make everything better.”
Rivera also said King’s work is just as significant now as in the past, saying how important his philosophy still is.
“We’re seeing different policies be affected, such as affirmative action and DEI policies, and we’re just starting to see how it affects not just the workplace, but higher education as well,” Rivera said. “It is a tough battle that we are fighting currently.”
During her speech, Rivera said the work King and other activists have accomplished has led to progress.
“Truthfully, if it weren’t for Dr. King’s philosophy and many prominent dreamers, many of us in this room would not be here today,” Rivera said. “I am grateful for all that Dr. King and his followers did to allow us to have a voice”
Rivera said she believed the MLK Center is successful in “showcasing Dr. King’s legacy and philosophy” at UK.
Ja’Mahl McDaniel, director of the MLK Center and UK alumnus, called himself a “proud product of the MLK Center,” saying it provided a sense of support as a student.
“The MLK Center, for me, just was a consistent space where I really felt like I was seen and valued as a student on campus,” McDaniels said.
Now taking on a directorial role at the MLK Center, McDaniel said his time with the center as a student helped him better connect with current students, saying he now has the opportunity to reach those looking for support.
“It just truly warms my heart, and it’s something that excites me day in and day out,” McDaniel said. “Not only can I create new experiences through the MLK Center, but also find ways to acknowledge the people who are part of it.”
Acknowledging people involved was a goal by McDaniels with the Legacy Dinner and Awards, as he said he also hoped the ceremony would help spread awareness about the service work being done at UK.
Dr. Darwin Conwell, a professor of internal medicine at UK’s College of Medicine in UK HealthCare, was one of the winners acknowledged during the event, receiving the “Catalyst” award.
When pursuing medical school, Conwell said he was often met with discouragement.
“I had a high school guidance counselor tell me, ‘You can’t go to college, go work in the plant with your dad,’” Conwell said. “In undergraduate, I had a professor tell me, ‘You can’t be a doctor’… a medical school adviser told me I can’t be a gastroenterologist.”
Despite being told he “can’t,” Conwell said he went on to accomplish all of these things, as well as develop a passion for health disparities in rural communities.
Conwell said he was excited to see the impact the MLK Center has had on people, and also said he believed the center’s benefits will “continue beyond (his) tenure here as a professor.”
