BOISE, Idaho — The MLK Living Legacy Celebration event at Boise State University is back in-person after years of virtual events due to the pandemic. In addition, the MLK Living Legacy Committee is bringing Dr. Ibram X. Kendi to speak. Student Equity Program Director, Ro Alvarado Parker said the committee was pleasantly surprised that Dr. Kendi was able to speak at the event.
"Dr. Kendi has a very tight schedule and is a renowned scholar and author," Parker said. "I think he has a lot to offer Idaho right now because of how he explains things. He aims to reach all-ages, and he answers any kind of questions. He explains anti-racism very well and he puts in very clear and understandable terms."
The BSU MLK Living Legacy Celebration is Monday, Jan. 6. The event begins at 9 a.m. in the Student Union Building at BSU. People are invited to make posters, materials will be available, and there will be a limited number of MLK Celebration t-shirts available. At 11 a.m. people will line up outside the building and march to the Capitol.
The rally begins at 11:30 a.m. The keynote discussion with Dr. Kendi is open to the public and begins at 6 p.m. in the Jordan Ballroom, doors open at 5 p.m. Seating is limited with 400 seats reserved for the student body and 1,400 seats available. There are no tickets for the event, seating is first come first served. Questions for Dr. Kendi have been collected by BSU from students and the public. Books will be for sale in the lobby and the event ends at 7p.m. The keynote discussion will be recorded and available to view on Boise State website for 14 days after the event.
Dr. Kendi is an anti-racist activist, professor, historian and author. He's written six books, is Director for the Center for Antiracism Research, a contributing writer for The Atlantic and winner of several prestigious awards. One of his most popular books "How to Be an Antiracist" was a New York Times #1 Bestseller.
The rally at the Capitol will have four student speakers; Charles Jones III, President of the MLK Living Legend Committee, Cassie Farago, Ky Gathura and Jason Holman, the President of the Black Student Alliance. The fifth speaker is Boise State Alumni and co-founder of the Indigenous Idaho Alliance, Tai Simpson.
"We're really excited to have an in-person event and bring someone here because we haven't done it in a couple of years," Parker said. "It feels (to the committee) like a bit of normalcy is returning, and we are looking forward to it."
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