Don’t forget Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January

BET’s Smiley to be featured at IUPUI’s MLK dinner Jan. 15

By Diane Brown

http://www.indiana.edu/~iuvolbur/

Time magazine called him one of America’s most promising young leaders. Newsweek described him as one of the nation’s captains of the airwaves. The NAACP gave him one of its coveted Image Awards. And now he is coming home.

Black Entertainment Television (BET) talk show host Tavis Smiley, raised in north central Indiana and educated on the Bloomington campus of IU, will be the featured speaker for IUPUI’s 31st annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dinner Monday, Jan. 15.

The King Day celebration will be held at 7 p.m. at the Indiana Roof Ballroom, 140 W. Washington St., Indianapolis. The theme will be “Advocacy: Dr. King’s Influence in the 21st Century.”

The host of BET Tonight with Tavis Smiley is the author of three books, including his recent Doing What’s Right: How to Fight for What You Believe and Make a Difference. He is also a featured speaker on the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show.

The dinner follows a morning of community involvement during which IUPUI faculty, students and staff will honor the legacy of King by performing community service at various sites around Indianapolis. Service project sites include Hawthorne Community Center, Atkins Boys and Girls Club, Indianapolis parks facilities and other locations.

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lived by a philosophy of service to mankind. For us as a university it is important to practice that same philosophy,” said David Fredricks, community service project coordinator with the IUPUI Office of Neighbor Resources. “With the day off without classes, it would be best for us to honor Dr. King by going out and doing service for the community.”

Tickets for the dinner are on sale at the Office of Student Life and Diversity Programs in the University College building, 815 W. Michigan St., Indianapolis.

Tickets for IUPUI undergrads are $10, if purchased by Dec. 8, or $15 after today (Dec. 8). Tickets for faculty, staff, grad students and community guests are $30 each. Ticket sales will end Jan. 8.

Businesses, community organizations and individuals are invited to place advertisements in the souvenir book that will be distributed at the dinner.

The Martin Luther King dinner is co-sponsored by the IUPUI Office of Student Life and Diversity Programs and the IUPUI Black Student Union.

For additional information about the dinner, tickets or souvenir booklet ads, call 317- 274-3931.