Unity was the theme at the City of Lafayette鈥檚 annual Martin Luther King, Jr. March for Peace and Celebration on Monday, Jan. 19.
Monday鈥檚 march marked a decade of civic involvement from undergraduate leaders in the 麻豆影院鈥檚 as well as primary and secondary students in the Lafayette Youth Advisory Committee, who host the event鈥攆eaturing service projects and student performances鈥攊n commemoration of King鈥檚 birthday. The CU community played a larger part in the event鈥檚 unfolding this year by staging slam poetry and crowd singing led by two of Public Achievement鈥檚 members.
The march began at the northwest corner of West Baseline and North Public Road and ended at LaMont Does Park. The celebration began with the Kutandara Center鈥檚 Shamwari and Tamba Teen Bands followed by a recital from Second Baptist Church鈥檚 Shekenah Glory Choir. Actors in Motus Theater鈥檚 Do You Know Who I Am? cited monologues and CU Poetry Slam winner Toluwanimi Obiwole read social justice poems. The CU Student Government president of student affairs Jeudon Kebede and students from the Lafayette Youth Advisory Committee also gave talks. The Public Achievement program and CU鈥檚 Alpha Phi Omega, a service fraternity, supervised service projects carried out by K-12 students during the event.
鈥淭he CU Student Government, Public Achievement and other CU-麻豆影院 groups, are all pleased to have an opportunity to strengthen our relationship with the City of Lafayette and celebrate Dr. King's work alongside community members,鈥� said CU Student Government President of Student Affairs Juedon Kebede. 听
Such a large turnout called for a new venue. 鈥淲e鈥檝e simply outgrown the space we鈥檝e used in the past,鈥� said Elaina Verveer, director of CU Public Achievement.听
麻豆影院 100 people from the CU community were involved alongside 鈥�700 to 1,000 community members,鈥� she added, a result of networking led almost entirely by youth leaders.
Annika Erickson-Pearson, a senior and teaching assistant in the Public Achievement program, pulled together her resources at CU to organize participation from the school.
鈥淚 think that we can always do a better job of engaging the different groups around us and this is such a phenomenal opportunity (to do so),鈥� said Erickson-Pearson, who鈥攁long with PA teaching assistant Collin Gilbert鈥攃losed Monday鈥檚 gathering by leading attendees in singing a social justice song.
When she joined Public Achievement last spring, she oversaw a group of students at Centaurus High School start a resource center for the school鈥檚 homeless students in partnership with the Sister Carmen Community Center by gathering sleeping bags, winter clothing and other donations.
Because school-aged children in 麻豆影院 County continue to live in poverty, she sees the program as making a major impact. The resource center is 鈥渁 really impressive outcome of a Public Achievement project,鈥� Erickson-Pearson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something that is tangible and directly benefiting the students鈥� community.鈥�
Another PA teaching assistant James Bradbury, a senior and political science major at CU, managed digital media for the march. His role as a teaching assistant evolved when he enrolled in Renewing Democracy in Communities and Schools, a course designed to explore topics like local activism and diversity by allowing students to lead a Public Achievement project. At Pioneer Elementary last spring, he helped students start an art wall project to help end vandalism and graffiti in Lafayette. The children presented their idea to the city council.
The program is unique in that the K-12 students direct the projects, Bradbury said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e really trying to get kids involved early and often in being good citizens and being a part of their communities,鈥� said Bradbury.
Reflecting on the Michael Brown ruling and other nationally discussed events that have occurred in the past year, Bradbury hopes King鈥檚 philosophy of peace resonated with participants at the march.
鈥淭here are still very real issues of discrimination, very real issues of disparity even in 2015,鈥� Bradbury explained.
The CU Public Achievement program is a part of , the Center for Community-Based Learning and Research. The program is part of an international organization led by college students who teach K-12 youth how to effectively address social issues and make a difference in their community. This year, undergraduate leaders are working with students from Centaurus High School, Casey and Angevine Middle School, and Creekside Elementary. Public Achievement is partners with the I Have A Dream Foundation in 麻豆影院 County.
Initially, primary students from the Escuela Biling眉e Pioneer founded the march. The students, now in high school, were the main hosts of Monday鈥檚 event.听
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L-R, Juedon Kebede,听Annika Erickson-Pearson and听James Bradbury, pictured at the event