In honor of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and in celebration of the University of Portland’s inaugural MLK Day ON: Engage. Reflect. Serve., you are cordially invited to join the University of Portland community on Monday, January 20, 2020 as together we consider the question, “Why aren't there more Black People in Oregon?”

Local writer, activist, educator and spoken word artist Walidah Imarisha will guide us in answering that question in her keynote, and, in keeping with University of Portland’s commitment to “infuse our entire community with a sense of internationalization and diversity,” [1] will inspire the way forward.

We are also thrilled to announce the featured guest singer will be Grammy Award-nominated recording artist and songwriter (She starred in the Portland production of “Dreamgirls” in October 2018 [2]), entertainer, and music and theatre instructor, Julianne Johnson, who is also a University of Portland Alumna (’83).

The event is free and open to the public, although tickets are required to manage seating. Please RSVP on Eventbrite.

Childcare is provided, upon request, when you check out.

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WHAT: MLK Day ON 2020 Keynote with Walidah Imarisha

WHEN: Monday, January 20, 2020; 3:30 – 5:30 PM

WHERE: University of Portland’s Buckley Center Auditorium (Overflow room: Brian Doyle Auditorium in Dundon-Berchtold Hall)

DIRECTIONS & CAMPUS MAP: https://www.up.edu/admissions/visit/maps.html

Captioning will be provided

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Wake Me Up Lord

Wake me up Lord, so that the evil of racism

finds no home within me.

Keep watch over my heart Lord,

and remove from me any barriers to your grace,

that may oppress and offend my brothers and sisters.

Fill my spirit Lord, so that I may give

services of justice and peace.

Clear my mind Lord, and use it for your glory.

And finally, remind us Lord that you said,

"blessed are the peacemakers,

for they shall be called children of God."

Amen. [3]

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[1] See University of Portland’s Vision 2020 (https://www.up.edu/about/strategic-plan-vision-2020.pdf)

[2] See Portland Tribune Article, Dreamgirls’ Star Lives Her Own Dream: https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/11-features/408867-307645-dreamgirls-star-lives-her-own-dream-pwoff

[3]This prayer is from For The Love of One Another (1989), a special message from the Bishops' Committee on Black Catholics of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops on the Occasion of the Tenth Anniversary of the Pastoral Letter, Brothers and Sisters to Us, the U.S. Catholic bishops' Pastoral Letter on Racism (1979).