Thinking about MLK’s influence and legacy in the U.S and around the world today, this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations on Monday, January 16 featured guest speakers, workshops led by faculty members, and remarks from Head of School Mr. Craig Bradley and All-School President Richie Mamam Nbiba ’23, providing the community with an opportunity to reflect and learn about effective communication in a community full of differences.

This year’s MLK Day’s theme, “MLK Today,” explores the relevance of his legacy in our world today. Ms. Kinyette Henderson, co-director of diversity, equity, and inclusion, said, “The DEI office wants to focus on how to continue to navigate, celebrate, and acknowledge our unique diversity. We hope to utilize this opportunity for self-reflection and as a guiding path for the community in the future.”

On Sunday, January 15, No Place For Hate, the Student DEI Council, and affinity group heads hosted a community conversation to reflect on MLK’s legacy and influence on the school.

Programming the next day began with an interactive panel featuring DeRay McKesson, a civil rights activist in Black Lives Matter; Sam White, a collaborator with civil rights organizations and nonprofits on social impact projects; and Kimberly Latrice Jones, an author and filmmaker known for her novel, I’m Not Dying With You Tonight. Ms. Imani Majied ’15, director of multicultural outreach and recruitment, and Mr. Erby Mitchell Jr., dean of admissions and financial aid, moderated. They encouraged community members to comment and ask questions throughout. At the conclusion of the discussion, the Step team and Gospel Choir performed.

From interactive workshops with cooking demonstrations to community service offerings, the school provided sixteen different workshops for students to choose from. This year, some faculty members led a series of workshops including the influence of African American cuisine on cuisine in the U.S today, the history behind the African American culinary history regarding chicken, the history of African American entrepreneurship in the U.S, some hidden revolutionary stories of the Black Liberation struggle, a panel on communication in a diverse community, and more.

After the workshops, students attended community sessions in the Chapel and listened to remarks from Mr. Bradley and Nbiba ’23. In the chapel talks, Mr. Bradley connected to MLK’s Drum Major Instinct sermon and shared how MLK’s legacy has influenced his leadership methods in this community. The Drum Major Instinct sermon, defined by the urge to be recognized as the first and to promote justice, presents MLK’s hopes on how he wished to be commemorated by.

Following the community gatherings, proctors led conversations with their floors regarding an aspect of MLK’s Drum Major Instinct sermon and how that connects to life here in the community. Proctors led a series of discussions involving analyzing the presence of MLK’s sermon in the school community, self-reflection, and how they want to be remembered after leaving Hotchkiss; some responses were later presented in an all-school assembly.