The Martin Luther King Junior Dinner celebrated the life of a truly inspiring man and applauded the work of students and faculty in their efforts to improve equity and social justice on this campus. The main events of the night were student-spoken poems of black writers, awards to faculty and staff, and the main speaker of the night, Ronelle Tsheila. The theme of the night: Good Trouble (Dream Big, Act Bigger)
The Dinner was held on January 30th in the NHIOP Auditorium. As guests walked into the room, music from Kendrick Lamar to Marvin Gaye played. The Center for Intercultural Learning and Inclusion and the Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. planning committee worked very hard to put this event together. Their determination and dedication to their causes and professions did not go unnoticed by the audience.
As guests made their way to the seat of their choice, they passed by a plate of desserts. The dessert plate was a symbolic and commemorative reminder of “The Meal That Never Was.” This meal was for the date of April 4th, 1968, MLK’s death. The desserts, mini pumpkin, and pecan pies were selected to honor the tradition MLK had of breaking bread with communities he visited. Today, black chefs around the world make similar dishes in remembrance of him.
The MLK dinner also made use of the NHIOP projectors to advertise events and groups, and opportunity to spread awareness. For example, the Saint Anselm College Debate Team is hosting the “Civil Disobedience is Immoral” debate. Another slide shared an opportunity to listen to a student panel as they discuss nonviolence as a response to repression. The Center for Intercultural Learning and Inclusion will have a film screening and discussion about John Lewis. The Student Engagement and Leadership organization will be hosting The Baltimore Slam Team, a spoken word poetry group. The information on these engagement and awareness opportunities can be found through the Center for Intercultural Learning and Inclusion or school email.
Father Francis and Greg Cecconi, Director of Campus Ministry, gave the blessing to begin the night’s ceremony. The prayer made the point of reminding the guests why we dedicate those that have come before us. The prayer asked for guidance and strength to follow in MLK’s footsteps, that we too will fight social injustice. Cecconi reminded the audience that the dinner represented the continuance of a movement Dr. King started. After dinner, the student speakers recited poems: Grace Michael performed “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou, Jubilee Dennison performed “Riot” by Gwendolyn Brooks, and Page Pods performed “The Preacher Said” by Alden Solovy.
This year marks the thirteenth anniversary of the Dr. Martin Luther King Social Justice Award. The recipient, one staff and one student is selected for their ability to inspire the community with compassion and encouragement and reflect King’s message of eliminating injustice. The Faculty Award was presented by Dean Finn, and awarded to Nicole Kipphut for her work in the Harbor. She creates a safe place and resource for victims of sexual assault and harassment. She “single-handedly repaired barriers with the Office of Civil Rights and Title Nine Compliance…and spearheads all of the violence prevention education on campus,” said Finn. The Student Award winner was presented by Amelia Finn, and awarded to Anna Raley. Raley helps to create inclusive environments for students. Her leadership roles include the Multicultural Student Coalition and Women of Color. She creates safe places for students and faculty to share personal experiences and leads discussions on how this campus can be involved with racial justice and change.
Responding to her Award, Raley stated, “I am overwhelmingly grateful and appreciative of receiving this year’s social justice award. While this award is incredibly validating of the efforts of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I am cognizant of the need for continuing efforts on campus to further achieve racial/ethnic inclusivity and equity… I am also aware that this award does not signify that the school has holistically achieved equality for all students. I instead value this achievement as a singular stepping stone towards greater access to a diverse and inclusive campus community.”
Dr. Favazza’s speech included the remembrance of MLK’s dream. He thanked those for joining the dinner and encouraged causing “Good Trouble” as John Lewis said. Dr. Favazza expressed the memory of his childhood in Memphis when he heard of Dr. King’s death. Ronelle Tsheila is the co-founder of BLM Manchester. She was appointed by Governor Chris Sununu to the Committee of Law Enforcement Accountability, Community, and Transparency in 2020. Tsheila was recognized by the New Hampshire Business Review as one of the state’s most influential business leaders.
Tsheila was honored as a trailblazer by the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation. Tsheila is also in her third year at the Franklin Peirce UNH Law School, where she is president of the Women’s Law Student Association. Explaining the inspiration behind her success, Tshiela explained, “I dared to dream of a world more just than this one…I refused to look away.” Tsheila shared her life experiences as a black woman growing up in poverty with her family in Manchester. She described how she felt, in witnessing the racial injustice, and how she was inspired to rally together with three of her peers.
Tsheila expressed how the news of the deaths of black teenagers reminded her of her siblings, saying, “When I say that in Trayvon and Michael, I saw my older brothers.” The incidents of violence inspired Tsheila, she wanted to become an agent of change to systemic social issues. With a final message to the students of Saint Anselm College, Tsheila said, “Banish your fears and uncertainty: We must not accept the status quo.”
