Busy month ahead for multicultural organizations

Courtesy of the Library of Congress

January is a hectic time for the Multicultural Affairs office, as many events have been planned around Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama and other events.

In fact, there are many local events scheduled Monday to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Webb Lecture Hall, there will be a Children's Art Program for participants aged 12 to 13. Children will receive a Martin Luther King Jr. coloring book, a "Teeny Tiny Informational Book," a "Multicultural Plant" which will be planted on campus.

In addition, children will write postcards to themselves, which will be mailed back to them one month later. The event will be orchestrated by Rosie Sauls and Cierra Sauls, officers of Black Student Union and event coordinators, and Megan Sellars, senior health promotions major, president of Black Women’s Network and member of BSU.

From 5-5:30 p.m., starting at the William Allen White Library, there will be a Candle Light Walk to the First Congregational Church where there will be an International Banquet with food from various cultures.

At 7 p.m. there will be a service including selected readings of King Jr.'s sermons and a vocal performance from Emporia State's Harmonious Voices of Praise gospel choir.

A film called "From Dream to Reality" will also be shown and there will be a speech from Dr. Althea Cushinberry of Topeka. Cushinberry was the recipient of the Living the Dream Religion Award in 2007 for serving as a pastor at Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ and is Professor Emeritus of Nursing at Washburn University.

An inauguration party for President-elect Barack Obama will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesday in Albert Taylor Hall, the Visser Atrium, and on Memorial Union Mainstreet, celebrating the first African American to become president.

"We kind of want to make it a festivity, a celebration, that history is being made," said Barbara Baker, Director of Multicultural Affairs.

Cushinberry will also be speaking at the inauguration party. Baker said that Cushinberry will be drawing a connection between Obama and King Jr.

ESU is also hosting an African American Leadership Day next Wednesday for high school students to have a special campus visit and meet with leaders of the ESU African American community.

"We'll be doing some ice-breakers with them, getting to know them and introducing them to ESU," Baker said. "They'll also get to see a residence hall and a dorm room, so it will be a campus visit too."

At 7 p.m. Jan. 27 in the Kanza Room, there will be an International Cinema presentation of the film, "American History X," followed by a discussion and refreshments.

"We chose that movie because we wanted to have a movie that will really engage people in a dialogue," Baker said. "I hear it's a movie that brings out some strong messages about peer pressure and family involvement."

There are also several tentative plans for Black History Month, according to Lasonya McElroy, sophomore communication major and vice president of the Black Student Union. These plans may include, "Ask a Black Dude," on Thursday, Feb. 5, an open microphone/talent show on Feb. 12, a forum speaker on Feb.19 that is to be announced and a Black Leadership Conference Feb. 26-29.

“Those have not been discussed with the board yet. Hopefully, we’ll have a month full of things going on.”