To celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Day, Flagship hosted a virtual lecture by writer and TV personality, Kevin Powell on Tuesday, January 18. 115 associates were in attendance.
Kevin’s lecture focused on America during the Civil Rights Movement, roughly 1954 to the late 1960s, with an emphasis on the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr. He also discussed the culture of that time and what has changed from then to now.
The leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was instrumental in ending legal segregation. His nonviolent methods were the driving force behind watershed events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the 1963 March on Washington, which helped bring about landmark legislation, most notably the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. In 1964, King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
MLK Day is a time to reflect on the principles of racial equality and nonviolent social change espoused by King. He was a courageous man who played a key role in the American civil rights movement who never backed down in his stand against racism and in support of unity. His impact and significant contributions to society to live on through people like Powell, who continue to shine a light on his legacy and remind us why we celebrate, reflect and serve our community in his honor.
In an effort to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy, MLK Day is also an opportunity to perform acts of service in the community and participate in volunteer work. Flagship is allowing associates to utilize their VTO time in ways they are most comfortable with, including through virtual volunteerism. Many local and national opportunities have been provided to the team throughout the past year, with the most recent being the company’s second annual Send Love to Seniors campaign to support the elderly in care homes.
About the Speaker:
Kevin Powell is one of the most acclaimed political, cultural, literary, and hip-hop voices in America today. He is the author of 12 books, and his writings have appeared in many news articles, even serving for many years as a senior writer, interviewing diverse public figures such as Tupac Shakur and General Colin Powell.
Kevin routinely travels nationally and globally as a public speaker at colleges and corporations, various institutions, and a wide range of communities. Recent speaking engagements include stops at Microsoft headquarters, Stanford University, the U.S. Department of Justice, the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the “March on Washington” (which featured the “I Have A Dream” speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1963), a one-week residency at the American University in Nigeria, visiting lecturer positions at Central State University and Virginia State University, and as Hip-hop Scholar-in-Residence at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. On behalf of the U.S. State Department, he toured Japan lecturing on the relevance of Dr. King’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech.