Updated Teach-in location: ‘Power of nonviolence’ highlighted at WMU MLK Day Celebration with national speaker, teach-in event
NOTE: The Teach-in event has been relocated from the WMU Student Center to Room 1910 of Sangren Hall.
KALAMAZOO, Mich.— Bakari Sellers, political commentator, attorney, civil rights activist and former member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, will speak at Western Michigan University during the MLK Celebration on Monday, Jan. 20, in honor of slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Sellers’ talk at 6 p.m. in Miller Auditorium reflects the celebration’s theme of “The Power of Nonviolence: Lasting Change through Peace" and will follow a campus teach-in event with three sessions from noon to 3:30 p.m. in the WMU Student Center ballroom. All events are free and open to the public, and no tickets are required. View more information about events
His visit is held in partnership with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Lewis Walker Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnic Relations, Intercollegiate Athletics and Office of the President.
Legacy of leadership and advocacy
In addition to his work as a CNN analyst and in his role at the Strom Law Firm, Sellers offers valuable insights on today’s pressing social issues through his podcast, “The Bakari Sellers Podcast,” which airs twice a week on Ringer Podcast Network.
An entrepreneur and two-time New York Times best-selling author, Sellers is the son of Cleveland Sellers, a renowned civil rights leader. Bakari Sellers entered Morehouse College at just 16 years old and became the youngest legislator in South Carolina history at age 22. Throughout his career, he has fought for diversity, equity and inclusion.
“We are living in a time when racial, gender, cultural and many other freedoms are threatened. And although violence is often used against those of us who fight for freedom, we are aware that you cannot fight violence with more violence. Instead, we must use intellectual strategy and policy,” says Dr. Candy McCorkle-Boughton, vice president for diversity and inclusion. “This year, we are honored to have Bakari Sellers share with us his thoughts on the theme ‘The Power of Nonviolence: Lasting Change through Peace.’ This event is to honor the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of nonviolence as the path toward lasting peace. It is my hope that those who participate in Mr. Sellers’ talk and the teach-in will be inspired to take up the arms of nonviolence in order to reach the peace and freedom we all desire.”
The day's activities will begin with the teach-in event, offering a unique opportunity for participants to engage deeply with the principles of social justice and nonviolent activism.
Held annually by the Lewis Walker Institute, the teach-in will explore how Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Life Blueprint" speech can inspire individuals to critically address injustice and foster solidarity to protect civil and social liberties. Food will be provided by the Office of the Provost. The schedule is listed below.
Schedule of insightful discussions and activism
- Noon to 12:30 p.m.: Welcome
- 12:35 to 1:25 p.m.: Interview with an activist—Panelists Dr. Don Cooney, associate professor of social work and Kalamazoo City Commissioner; Dr. Dee Sherwood, associate professor of social work and director of the WMU Native American Affairs Council; Frank Waln, Lakota musician and artist-in-residence; and Olivia Gries, graduate student, will share personal experiences and practices of incorporating activism and social justice into their daily lives.
- 1:30 to 2:25 p.m.: Music with a message: Unpacking Songs of the Civil Rights Movement—Dr. Bianca Nightengale-Lee, Lewis Walker Institute director, and Dr. Brianne Pitts, assistant professor of teaching, learning and educational studies, explore songs between 1958-63 that were powerful sources of resilience and healing for Black communities.
- 2:30 to 3:20 p.m.: Student demands for 2025: What are we asking for now?—This session will examine the 1968 demands of WMU's Black Action Movement, which drove transformative change, and explore contemporary demands from young people for inclusion, respect and equity in institutions. The discussion will be moderated by graduate student Mariana Montserrat Bringas-Acevedo with student panelists Morgan Alford, graduate student; Asa Hollingsworth, Alpha Phi Alpha vice president; Mabinty Kebe, student-athlete; undergraduate student Romari Phillips; and Leiah Seawood, MLK Scholar.
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