2019 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration to Honor Advocates, Encourage Service

by Nikasha Dicks

Aiken, SC (11/22/2018) — Aiken Technical College and the University of South Carolina Aiken will present the 2019 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Celebration on Sunday, January 27 at 3 p.m. at the USC Aiken Convocation Center, 2049 Champion Way, Graniteville. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

For the second consecutive year, Human & Civil Rights Champion awards will be presented to those who have advocated for diversity, inclusion and for the rights of others. ATC and USCA will present student champion awards to one student from each institution and the event's committee will present one community award to an Aiken County community member.

To be eligible for a Human & Civil Rights Student Champion Award, one or more of the following criteria must be met:

Helped protect and advance the human and civil rights of students on campus.

Be an active member of a service organization on campus.

Worked to build inclusive and diverse partnerships with students and faculty on campus.

Participated in a campus project or assignment that identifies and encourages the values of diversity, inclusion and belonging.

To be eligible for the Human & Civil Rights Community Champion Award, one or more of the following criteria must be met:

Has publically promoted efforts to create a diverse community by promoting social justice, equality, and equity.

Be an active member of a service organization in the Aiken County community.

Worked to build more effective partnerships with students and schools, especially Aiken Technical College and USC Aiken.

Worked on a community project that identifies and encourages the value of diversity.

Nominations must be received by 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30. For additional criteria and nomination information, visit http://bit.ly/2019MLKAwards or http://www.usca.edu/MLK/.

Each year, hundreds gather from around the region to celebrate Dr. King. This year's keynote speaker will be Patricia Russell-McCloud, Esq., a bestselling author and acclaimed orator, who will speak on the event's theme "The time is always right to do what is right," a quote by Dr. King.

Annually, she speaks to more than 100,000 people in the United States and internationally and encourages listeners to overcome every obstacle that stands between them and the possible. She has spoken to numerous organizations including AARP, American Honda, AT&T, Cox Enterprises, General Electric, General Motors, McDonald's, McGraw Hill Publishing, Northrup Grumman, Proctor & Gamble, United States Postal Service, Wal-Mart/Sam's Club, and Xerox.

Books she has written include My Journal: Myself, Inside Out and A is for Attitude.

Russell-McCloud has also served as the 11th National President of The Links, Inc. and as the National Parliamentarian of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

She has been named one of the top five business motivators in the country by Black Enterprise magazine; listed among the top 10 speakers in America in a feature by Essence magazine; named one of the most influential people in the U.S. by Ebony magazine; and was a 2017 inductee into the HBCU Hall of Fame-Lifetime Achievement.

In keeping with Dr. King's legacy, the event also includes a service fair featuring nonprofit organizations throughout the area. Attendees are encouraged to learn more about the nonprofits' missions and volunteer opportunities. Organizations interested in participating should contact Sharon Rodgers at (803) 648-8331 or sharon@uwaiken.org.

In addition, the Aiken Community Choir performs annually during this event and will sing two selections. Anyone interested in joining the choir for this event should contact Joel Scraper at (803) 641-3306 joels@usca.edu. Rehearsals will be scheduled prior to the event.

Sponsorships are available at various levels. Organizations or individuals interested in becoming a sponsor for the event should contact Mary Driscoll at (803) 641-3448 or maryd@usca.edu.

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