With Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day fast approaching, the Ashland community is once again gearing up for another weekend of events and celebrations honoring and inspired by the achievements of one of the great leaders of the civil rights movement.
There are many events happening in the community during the coming week, and we here at The Siskiyou want to make sure you have a chance to participate in all of them:
1. MLK Day of Service, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 14: Southern Oregon University’s Civic Engagement Program is organizing several service projects around town in conjunction with the Ashland Emergency Food Bank and the Ashland Parks and Recreation Department. Participants get a free lunch. Those interested must register beforehand. For more information or to register for the event, email engage@sou.edu or visit www.sou.edu/su/ce.
2. “Hunger Beat-Down” by the Global Drummers Alliance for Hunger Relief, noon, Saturday, Jan. 14, in the courtyard of SOU’s Stevenson Union: A group of drummers led by SOU Percussion Professor Dr. Terry Longshore will be performing the song “Three Camps” in the courtyard of the Stevenson Union in solidarity with drummers worldwide to raise awareness about world hunger. The SOU Percussion Ensemble will be featured, as well as SOU alumni and drummers from the Ashland community. All drummers are invited to participate, but must provide their own drum. Download the music to “Three Camps” at http://www.drummercafe.com/
3. Ashland Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Celebration, noon to 1:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 16, in the Historic Ashland Armory: The 25th annual MLK celebration is one of Ashland’s finest traditions, and includes a wide variety of entertainment from campus groups and the Ashland community. The event is free and open to the public, although non-perisable food donations are encouraged.
4. Education Under Fire – Where Education is a Crime, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday, Jan. 16, in the Rogue River Room of the Stevenson Union: Hosted by the UN Club at SOU, Education Under Fire is a documentary about about a group of Baha’i students in Iran who were jailed for their beliefs. A discussion period will follow the film screening. This event also kicks off the Race Awareness Programs put on by the Multicultural Resource Center. The event is free and open to the public.
5. The Legacy of Race, 6 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 17, in the Stevenson Union room 319: A discussion on the origins of race in the United States, why it was created, and the many different ways it is explained.
6. State of the “N-Word” Address, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 18, in room 303 of the Hannon Library: A panel discussion and conversation on the history, meaning, use, and impact of one of the English language’s most derogatory terms.
7. Race Monologues – Marvin McCalister’s “Draft Day,” 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 19, in the Stevenson Union Arena: A reading of the play ‘Draft Day,’ which examines the similarities between professional sports’ draft day and the slave auction.
