Celebrating MLK Day

Sophie Liu '27 (News Associate) in News | January 24, 2025

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made countless contributions to equality, love and peace. Reflecting the profound impact of his work, communities across the nation come together on the third Monday of January to honor his life and enduring influences. King’s commitment to nonviolent protest and his role as a central leader in the Civil Rights Movement left a lasting legacy even almost six decades following his passing.

This past Monday, the Lawrenceville school gathered to celebrate King and his legacy. Executive Director of the Hutchins Center for Race and Social Justice Zaheer Ali led the program “Lighting the Way: History, Community, & Hope,” hoping to inspire Lawrenceville students to draw lessons from history, feel their community, and seek hope under the uplifting experiences of King.

Prior to the evening assembly, a Martin Luther King Day circle practice took place in the McGraw Reading Room, led by the program coordinator of Hutchins Institute for Social Justice Victoria Stitt. “We discussed the questions such as ‘what are lessons you have learned through history, from MLK, other activists or changemakers’ and ‘who has been a light to you recently’,” Stitt described. Deeply touched by the conversation, she further addressed: “I appreciated this group of students' willingness to lean into vulnerability and be radically honest with each other.”

V Formers Imani Gaskin and Najja King and IV Formers Kellen Fisher, Leo Mahe, and Madison Sylvan took the stage, where they shared their personal experiences with the courage, compassion, and perseverance that King values in the face of injustice. The night concluded with a captivating performance by pianist Timi “timikeys” Esan. Through his song choices, Esan sought to honor King’s ideals, as he incorporated inspiring quotes into his music. Towards the end of his performance, Esan encouraged the Lawrenceville community to bestow a smile for the people around them, as a way of expressing gratitude and love.

For Teri Kim ’27, the program offered a window for self-reflection: “History has a large influence on our present decisions; this event heartened me to consider how we can work toward a better, more inclusive future.”

Angela Lo ’27 also added, “The part of the program that resonated with me the most was Mr. Ali’s conclusion and the ‘close your eyes’ exercise during his speech. It allowed me to connect with the [intentional] themes in a very tangible way,” Lo added. She was especially touched by Esan’s performance of the piece “Like Him” by Tyler the Creator, which allowed her to “engage in the pursuit of beauty, justice, and love.”

Overall, the annual Martin Luther King Day at Lawrenceville serves not only as a tribute to King but also as an inspiration for all attendees to embody his ideals in their daily lives.

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Celebrating MLK Day