Martin Luther King Speech Report

This was the first Martin Luther King Celebration I have attended at Lock Haven University so when entering Price Auditorium, I was unsure of what to expect. As I entered the auditorium it was surprised to see the diverse population of student that filled the auditorium. Yes, I am sure some were there purely for a grade from a professor, but it was still refreshing to see so my people from different backgrounds together to celebrate Dr. King. Quite a few of these students, as highlighted by Kenny Hall at the end of the event, were also student activists themselves.
The celebrations started with a brief introduction by Mr. Fanning and Dr. Fiorentino, but what first really caught my attention was the poetry reading form two current Lock Haven students. The first poem, “Zombie Blue Villanelle”, by Tim Seibles addressed how we can become disconnected from the world around us. The second poem, “Won’t You Celebrate Me”, by Lucille Clifton, is about an African American woman carving a way for herself in life. The third poem, “Still I Rise”, by Maya
Seibles speech that resonated most with me in response to the speech “the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and how students can continue his work” was his response to the last audience questions. A student from the crowd asked a question to the effect of, “with everything that is happening in the word both good and bad, what is your advice for staying connected in all these issues?” Seible’s response to this question put the grand and intimidating scale of world issues into perspective for all that we can each individually have an impact on. It would be impossible for one person to stay informed and connected with all the issues in the world. Each of us is a part of smaller circles in world, whether they be academic, racial, religious, political, social, etc., that we can work to improve in our own ways. By doing this we can work toward a better world, and ultimately, the promise land Dr. King dreamt