Pepperdine University Celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with Special Events

To commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 17, 2022, the Pepperdine University community will gather for special events throughout the week. With a chapel service, lecture, and service opportunities, the week will be full of remembrance, academic development, and renewed commitments to nurture belonging. 

The Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) is hosting a gathering and park cleanup today, Friday, January 14, from noon to 4 PM, at the Ted Watkins Memorial Park in Los Angeles. The day will allow FGP volunteers and their friends and family to connect in community and a shared love of service while honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. 

On Wednesday, January 19, at 11 AM, a special chapel service will be held in the Light House. Acclaimed speaker and writer Trillia Newbell will join via Zoom to discuss King’s lasting legacy on faith and justice. Newbell is the author of Creative God, Colorful Us and Sacred Endurance: Finding Grace and Strength for a Lasting Faith and works as an acquisitions editor for Moody Publishers. Following Newbell’s talk, guests may engage in a time of worship and fellowship with free lunch served on the Light House patio. 

The Caruso School of Law will host human rights lawyer Allyson McKinney Timm on Thursday, January 20, at 12:30 PM, for the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day lecture. Timm’s lecture, “Bringing Women’s Rights Home: The Story Behind Justice Revival’s #Faith4ERACampaign,” will engage law faculty and students in a discussion on faith’s role in justice and equality.

Faculty, staff, and students are also contemplating how their voices may be used to bring about powerful, transformative, and lasting change, particularly on the National Day of Racial Healing on January 18. That evening, Thema Bryant-Davis, professor of psychology at GSEP and president-elect of the American Psychological Association, will join the Westchester Center for Racial Equity at 5 PM PST, via Zoom for an engaging discussion on healing.

Chalak Richards, associate dean of student life, diversity, and belonging at the Caruso School of Law, also shared a brief reflection on King and the values he inspired so many to continue advancing. In Richards’ reflection, she encouraged law students to celebrate the progress and accomplishments for diversity, inclusion, and belonging. While holding close to this celebration, Richards encouraged the “community of peacemakers” to also acknowledge the truth that there is still more progress to be made to ensure everyone may belong.