35th Annual MLK Celebration A Time for Reflection and Positive Recognition

Bentley University’s 2021 Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration was different from prior years in format. Making the best of the current virtual environment, the community met for an online event and open discussion to honor the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. After what has been an incredibly trying year, it was a valuable experience to come together and reflect on the impact of advocacy and activism in Bentley’s community.

The conversation was hosted by Lakeya Graves ’11, co-founder of the @blackatbentley Instagram account. Panel members Hilary Yeboah ’21, Shaquille Moultrie MBA ’21, Evann Welty ’21 and Anjela Maravilla ’21 shared personal stories of experiences growing up and here on campus that inspired their activism.

During the event, the Dr. Earl L. Avery MLK Leadership Award was granted for the first time to a movement, not a person. @blackatbentley was selected for its incredible work to reveal patterns of racism on campus and advocate for meaningful change. Accepting the award on behalf of the movement were group organizers Lakeya Graves ‘11, Edith Joachimpillai ’12 and Stephanie Hartford ’12.

This year’s celebrations highlighted how advocacy and activism can have such a positive impact in our community and beyond. Read more about Bentley University’s Racial Justice Task Force goals and actions to work towards a more equitable and anti-racist campus.