MLK Day of Service and Learning

Join in Monday, January 21, 2013 as we reflect on and attempt to embody the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Events throughout this special day will focus on issues of justice, racial-equality, labor-rights, pacifism, Christian faith and activism, community-based volunteerism, service and relationship building.

Program features include keynote speaker Shane Claiborne; cultural learning tours; community lunch conversations; volunteer, service and relationship building; and engaged learning.

Schedule at a glance

Thursday, Jan. 17
7:30 p.m. And Freedom for All art exhibit opening in Common Grounds Coffeehouse
8:15 p.m. I Remember Dr. King panel in Common Grounds Coffeehouse

Monday, Jan. 21
Anytime Drop off items for Service project (flu prevention, health & shoes) – University Commons
10 a.m. MLK Day chapel featuring Shane Claiborne (Lehman Auditorium)
10:40 a.m. After Chapel Discussion Forum (Campus Center 203)
11 a.m. Letter from Birmingham Jail reading & discussion (Library)
11 a.m. Cultural Learning Tours (see list) downtown
11:30 a.m. Mix it Up Lunch conversations in the cafeteria
11:30 a.m. Adopt a Stream Black’s Run clean-up near The Little Grill
12 p.m. Community Meal for Everyone at Our Community Place (with Shane Claiborne)
1:30 p.m. Historic Walking Tour of Newtown (northeast neighborhood)
2 p.m. Letter from Birmingham Jail reading & discussion (Library)
2:30 p.m. Come Across the Bridge dialogue at downtown barbershop
4:30 p.m. MLK Day forum featuring Shane Claiborne (Lehman Auditorium)
5:30 p.m. MLK Day debriefing in the cafeteria

Tuesday, Jan. 22
8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Assemble Service project kits (flu prevention, health & shoes) – University Commons

Keynote speaker Shane Claiborne

Shane Claiborne will speak in Lehman Auditorium at 10 a.m. and again at 4:30 p.m., relating the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. to Christian faith and our contemporary culture. Claiborne is a co-founder of The Simple Way, a faith community in inner-city Philadelphia, and a well-known author and speaker. Jump to more info on Shane…

Cultural learning tours

Join representatives from EMU, United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County and the Northeast Neighborhood Association (NENA) for one or more of these tours:

11 a.m. – Empowering Low-Income Persons for Legal Justice
Visit with John Whitfield, Executive Director of Blue Ridge Legal Services and Tim Ruebke, Executive Director of The Fairfield Center to discuss issues of economic and legal justice facing low-income members of our local community. Learn how these agencies are empowering people to improve their lives and how you can volunteer to help.
Tour Host: United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County
Location: Blue Ridge Legal Services; 204 N. High Street, Harrisonburg

11 a.m. – Partnering To Provide Basic Needs for Our Neighbors
Visit with Keith Gnagey, Executive Director of the Harrisonburg Rockingham Free Clinic to discuss issues of health care for low income working adults in our local community. Learn about the challenges and solutions of affordable, accessible healthcare, how agencies partner to provide care and you can volunteer to help.
Tour Host: United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County
Location: Harrisonburg Rockingham Free Clinic; 25 W. Water Street, Harrisonburg

11 a.m. – Creating Non-Violent Homes and Communities
Visit with Candy Phillips, Executive Director of First Step and Luanne Bender Long, Executive Director of the Center for Marriage and Family Counseling to discuss issues of domestic violence in our local community. Learn about how these agencies are empowering abusers to change their behaviors and empowering victims to achieve safe and secure lives.
Tour Host: United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County
Location: Center for Marriage and Family Counseling; 96 Campbell Street, Harrisonburg

1:30 p.m. – A Historic Walking Tour of Newtown (now referred to as the northeast neighborhood of Harrisonburg)
Visit the early freed slave settlement of Newtown with stories about the historic Lucy Simms School, Coletta Harris’ 100-year old house, Bethel AME Church and the Newtown Cemetery.
Tour Host: Karen Thomas & Stan Maclin of Northeast Neighborhood Association (NENA), Rev. Royster from Bethel AME Church.
Location: Our Community Place – 17 E. Johnson St., Harrisonburg 22802 (540)442-7727

2:30 p.m. – Come Across the Bridge (a shared journey of vision & risk)
Engage with black community leaders from NENA at Tyrone Sprague’s downtown barbershop (6th floor of 2 South Main) for lively dialogue around suppression and new forms of peacemaking in the 21st Century. You can get a haircut too complements of campus ministries (from 2:30-4 p.m.).
Host: Stan Maclin of the Harriet Tubman Cultural Center. Meet in front of the downtown Jess’ Quick Lunch.
Location: Meet in front of the downtown Jess’ Quick Lunch – 2 South Main St. Harrisonburg 22801

Community lunch conversations

Gather with other students, faculty, staff and members of the Harrisonburg Northeast Neighborhood Association (NENA) for one of these lunch conversation events:

Mix it Up Lunch in the EMU cafeteria from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Choose to sit at one of the round tables with a mixture of people from the campus and community for guided conversation related to the vision of Martin Luther King Jr.
Meal Host: Jen Litwiller
Meet at one of the round tables in the dining hall. Meal passes available for participating community members and students without a meal plan. View a map and directions to Northlawn Residence Hall – Dining Hall located in lower level, view available visitors parking by clicking display option on lower left.

A Community Meal for Everyone at Our Community Place (OCP) from Noon-1:30 p.m. (with Shane Claiborne)
Embody the vision of Dr. King and the mission of OCP by gathering for a community meal that is open to everyone.
Meal Host: Philip Fisher Rhodes of Our Community Place
Location: OCP, 17 E. Johnson St., Harrisonburg 22802 (540)442-7727

Help with preparation and clean-up for the community meal at Our Community Place.
11 a.m. – Noon – set-up and prep for the meal
Noon-1 p.m. – assist with the meal itself
1-2:30 p.m. – clean up from the meal

Volunteering, serving and relationship building

Join hands in volunteer, service and relationship building activities on campus, in the greater EMU neighborhood, and in partnership with the Northeast Neighborhood Association (NENA) and United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

Collect items for Flu Prevention for the Harrisonburg/Rockingham Free Clinic. What’s needed?
Flu Prevention: travel size items of hand sanitizer, lotion, tissues, and wipes
Drop off items in the University Commons 9upper level), Campus Center Greeting Hall and Library (entrance).
NOTE: Collection of items will begin on January 16 and continue through MLK Day. Toward this end, there will be a collection of items and funds at the women’s and men’s basketball games on Saturday, Jan. 19 in the EMU Yoder Arena. (women’s game at 3 p.m. and men’s game at 7 p.m.)

Collect items for health kits plus sturdy shoes for Our Community Place. What’s needed?
Health: soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, dental floss, mouthwash, deodorant, lotion, laundry detergent
Sturdy Shoes: warm for winter, sizes 8-11 for men and 6-9 for women
Drop off items in the University Commons 9upper level), Campus Center Greeting Hall and Library (entrance).
Kits will be assembled on Tuesday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. in the upper hallway of the University Commons.
NOTE: Collection of items will begin on January 16 and continue through MLK Day. Toward this end, there will be a collection of items and funds at the women’s and men’s basketball games on Saturday, Jan. 19 in the EMU Yoder Arena. (women’s game at 3 p.m. and men’s game at 7 p.m.)

Adopt a Stream Clean-up – Join the Biology/Chemistry department and Campus Activities Council (CAC) from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (or for a shorter time) to clean up a stretch of Black’s Run that flows through the northeast neighborhood. Gloves and bags will be provided. You can probably catch some lunch at Our Community Place if you arrive between 1-1:30 p.m.
Meet at the Science Center at 11:30 for carpooling or anytime just outside The Little Grill restaurant (621 N. Main, Harrisonburg).

Provide a one-time MLK educational program for preschool children at the Roberta Webb Childcare Center.

Engaged learning

Engage with the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. in the classroom and at special events held on campus.

I Remember Dr. King Coffeehouse on Jan. 17 from 8:15-9:30 p.m. Hear from community panelists who remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. first-hand. Hosted by Black Student Union and Multicultural Services. Location – Common Grounds Coffeehouse

Art exhibit And Freedom For All depicting the Civil Rights Movement from Jan. 17 through Jan. 31 in Common Grounds Coffeehouse – Opening reception on January 17 from 7:30-8:15 p.m. hosted by Black Student Union, Peace Fellowship and YPCA-Serve with funds from the SGA Union of Student Organizations.

After Chapel Discussion Forum from 10:40-11:30 a.m. to respond to the morning session with Shane Claiborne. Hosted by Education Dept. faculty. Location: Campus Center 203

Common reading of Martin Luther King, Jr’s Letter from Birmingham Jail to be discussed in class and other settings. Gather at the Sadie A. Hartzler Library at 11-11:30 a.m. or 2-2:30 p.m. to read and discuss the letter facilitated by librarians Jen Ulrich and Stephanie Bush.

Display of resources in the EMU Hartzler Library all week.

MLK Day debriefing from 5:30-7 p.m. to respond to the input from Shane Claiborne plus any and all other aspects of this day of service and learning. Meet at one of the round tables in the cafeteria.

Shane Claiborne

Keynote speaker Shane Claiborne is a bestselling author, prominent Christian activist, and sought-after speaker. He will speak at a 10 a.m. University chapel in Lehman Auditorium and again at 4:30 p.m. in Lehman Auditorium.

More about Shane (adapted from The Simple Way website)

Shane writes and travels extensively, speaking about peacemaking, social justice and Jesus. He graduated from Eastern University, and did graduate work at Princeton Seminary. His ministry experience is varied, from a 10-week stint working alongside Mother Teresa in Calcutta, to a year spent serving a wealthy mega-congregation at Willow Creek Community Church outside Chicago. During the recent war in Iraq, Shane spent three weeks in Baghdad with the Iraq Peace Team.

Shane is the author of the several books including The Irresistible Revolution, Jesus for President, and Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers. Shane speaks over 100 times a year in a dozen or so countries and nearly every state in the U.S., and has given academic seminars at Ivy League institutions. His work has been featured by media outlets ranging from Fox News and the Wall Street Journal to CNN and National Public Radio.

Finally, Shane is a founding partner of The Simple Way, a faith community in inner city Philadelphia that has helped to birth and connect radical faith communities around the world. Read more on The Simple Way website or “like” the community at www.facebook.com/theSimpleWay.

About the MLK Day of Service and Learning

This program was planned in collaboration with the SGA, YPCA (Y-Serve), student life division, office of the undergraduate academic dean, EMU academic cabinet, Harriet Tubman Cultural Center, United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County and Northeast Neighborhood Association (NENA). Contact the student life division for more information at 540-432-4135.