Bellarmine’s Dr. Patricia Carver Office of Identity and Inclusion invites the community to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday with a virtual workshop and panel featuring local activists Hannah Drake and Jecorey Arthur.
In honor of Bellarmine’s 26 annual MLK Day of Service, the office is also sponsoring a food drive for #FeedTheWest, a community food justice initiative sponsored by Change Today, Change Tomorrow.
Monday’s event, from 12-2 p.m., will feature reflections and Q&A with Drake, a writer and outspoken advocate for racial justice and other issues, along with Arthur, a musician, professor and Metro councilman.
Bellarmine faculty, staff and students may access and engage with the event through Zoom. The wider public may view the event live through OII’s Facebook page.
The community is also invited to drop off items for the food drive Jan. 18-22 at OII, which is on the first floor of Horrigan Hall, next to Café Ogle. Items requested include pull-ups (sizes 3T and 4T), deodorant, shelf-stable milk (dairy and non-dairy) and non-perishable items, such as canned goods, pasta and rice. Monetary donations are also encouraged through Venmo or CashApp with the handle $ChangeTodayChangeTmw. Designate #FeedTheWest for the gift.
In years past, students traveled throughout the community to serve various non-profits in person, but the pandemic made that approach difficult this year. The food drive is a way for students to safely fulfill their mission of service.
Kelzé Riley, a senior double majoring in criminal justice and political science, helped put the event together. She said service and social justice have been cornerstone values in her time at Bellarmine.
"Bellarmine puts community service in all aspects of all things that students do, and I think that is so important for everyone’s development," she said.