Food Lion® Presents: MLK Day Celebration

"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education."
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Bring the family and celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Gantt Center. We will open at 9:00 AM and will commemorate the holiday - which falls on Dr. King's actual birthday this year - with panel discussions, art-making workshops, guided tours, film screenings, and more.

ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES (SCHEDULE)

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM – Scavenger Hunt & Coloring Books

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM – Film: My Friend Martin

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM – Panel: Pedagogy of Survival: The Power of One

Join the conversation about unsung heroes, social justice, history, trauma, public educational discourse, courage, the power of youth and the power of one. This session includes a discussion of the first-hand narratives of two desegregation pioneers—their stories, sufferings and pedagogy of survival. The session gives voice to unsung heroes and the often overlooked view of the young adult.

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Student-Led Panel: I Am the Legacy

Students will explain their beliefs and thoughts about Dr. King’s quote “the function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.” And share their own experiences in school around taking action, being a good learner, standing for justice and will discuss seeing themselves as the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM – Footsteps Collage Workshop

Participants will decorate a tracing of their foot to symbolize what they stand for personally. Your finished collage may depict anything from political movements to personal pursuits, passions, values or beliefs.

The instructor will open with a brief presentation of humanitarian values and justice issues. Participants will then trace one foot on card stock and create a collage using fragments of magazines, colored paper, crayons or markers, and glitter. You’ll take your collage home as a reminder of past foot soldiers and your personal path.

11:00 AM – Guided Tour of Galleries

11:45 AM - 1:00 PM – Brave Souls Shoe Art Workshop

Middle and high school students are invited to bring their own sneakers or shoes to decorate. Students will paint and/or adorn old shoes or sneakers to reflect what they stand for or to pay tribute to freedom fighters or other role models. Paint, markers, glue and glitter will be provided.

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12:00 Noon - 1:00 PM – Freedom Songs Performance: Quentin Talley

12:00 Noon - 1:00 PM – Film: My Friend Martin

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM – Panel: The Urgency of Now: The Dream, True Education and a Call to Action

As the Martin Luther King Jr. quote suggests, education is not just the memorization of information, the surface understanding of ideas or the mere goal of passing a test.

In his I Have a Dream speech, Dr. King speaks to the fierce urgency of now as it relates to active engagement, the promises of democracy, racial justice and injustice. When we think of our educational systems, particularly the disproportionalities reflected in the areas of academics and discipline, these same tenets are required—participation, representation of all and equity. The urgency of now is always at hand and the time to take action, to be a learner, to stand for justice, and to persevere is critical.

Panelists include Harvey Gantt, civic leader; Judge Rickye McKoy-Mitchell and James E. Ford, 2014-2015 NC Teacher of the Year. This panel will be moderated by Janine Davis, V101.9 News Director.

2:00 PM – Guided Tour of Galleries

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM – Footsteps Collage Workshop

Participants will decorate a tracing of their foot to symbolize what they stand for personally. Your finished collage may depict anything from political movements to personal pursuits, passions, values or beliefs.

The instructor will open with a brief presentation of humanitarian values and justice issues. Participants will then trace one foot on card stock and create a collage using fragments of magazines, colored paper, crayons or markers, and glitter. You’ll take your collage home as a reminder of past foot soldiers and your personal path.

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM – Panel: What Are You Willing to Sacrifice?

Connecting the sacrifice made regarding Dr. King’s philosophy and dream to the sacrifice required today to continue to promote the dream, true education and a call to action.

Panelists include Toussaint Romain, Assistant Mecklenburg County Public Defender; Dr. Donyell Roseboro, Associate Dean for Teacher Education at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and Braxton Winston, Charlotte City Council Member At Large.

The MLK Day Celebration is proudly sponsored by Food Lion.