Martin Luther King Jr. Day events planned for Monday

Courtesy Image Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday in the U.S. observed on the third Monday of January each year. MLK Beloved Community of Northeast Michigan is hosting events from 1 to 8 p.m. on Monday at Alpena Community College.
ALPENA — Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday in the U.S. observed on the third Monday of January each year.
The holiday was established in 1983, about 20 years after King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. King was a Baptist minister and civil rights leader who advocated for nonviolent resistance against racial segregation.
King was born on Jan. 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. He was a leader of the American civil rights movement. He organized many peaceful protests as head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, including the March on Washington in 1963. In 1964, he became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968.
MLK Beloved Community of Northeast Michigan presents Martin Luther King Jr. Day activities from 1 to 8 p.m. on Monday at Alpena Community College.
From 1 to 3 p.m., children from elementary through middle school age can participate in crafts, storytime, and activities in the ACC Park Arena and ACC Fletcher Library.
Then, from 3 to 4 p.m., Pastor Lenny Avery will lead a presentation and discussion titled “Love in Action,” geared toward high school students and adults, in the ACC Besser Technical Center Commons.
“Avery’s thought-provoking presentation, ‘Love in Action,’ invites audiences to explore the true essence of love through a lens of compassion, inclusion, and social justice,” a press release from MLK Beloved Community explains. “The presentation highlights the relational nature of love, drawing on insights from renowned social psychologists and biblical teachings. With a focus on societal issues such as segregation in education, housing, and culture, Pastor Avery calls for actionable change — encouraging individuals to transform empathy into tangible deeds. Audiences will leave inspired to foster equity, protect human rights, and embody love through purposeful action. This dynamic and engaging discussion is a powerful reminder that love is not merely a feeling, but a commitment to uplifting others and addressing inequality head-on.”
From 4 to 5 p.m., an ACC student craft will be offered in the BTC Commons, with supplies provided by Art in the Loft.
From 5 to 6:15 p.m., a community chili supper fundraiser will be held, for $8 per adult, and $4 per student, in the Lumberjack Shack (adjacent to ACC BTC Commons). Proceeds from the chili supper will benefit Loads of Love, a project that provides free laundromat service for those in need.
Then, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., a facilitated community discussion called “Building a Beloved Community” will be led by Sandra Pilgrim-Lewis in ACC CTR 106 (opposite Granum Theatre). This event is open to the whole community.
“Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s challenge of building a ‘beloved community’ was not a call to remain in our comfort zone, or connect only with like-minded people,” the press release states. “The vision of a Beloved Community was/is a call to creating a brighter, better world sustained by global, national, local, and individual actions. We will come together in celebration of Dr. King to highlight the footprints and evidence of his actionable work toward building a beloved community here in Northeast Michigan. We will spend some time working in groups investigating the places where we see actionable evidence of Northeast Michigan’s beloved community.”
The press release states that Mother Teresa and Dr. King promoted a belief in a ripple effect.
Mother Teresa said, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”
“Building and sustaining a Beloved Community requires collective action, performing small acts of kindness,” the press release notes.
King said, “If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving.”
For more information about Martin Luther King Jr. Day events, call 989-354-2640.