Author to speak on enhancing our beloved community

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The Jan. 23 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. luncheon will celebrate award winners and provide an opportunity to reflect on the role that all of us play in co-creating a beloved community where all faculty, staff and students can achieve, thrive and flourish. The annual event takes place on Thursday, Jan. 23, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Erb Memorial Union Ballroom. Registration begins at 11 a.m. Seating for this popular event is limited, and registration is required. To ensure your seat RSVP early but no later than Jan. 21.

This year’s honorees are:  

  • Exemplary Leadership: Lorena Landeros, assistant director, First Year Experience, Lundquist College of Business; Danielle Mericle, curator of visual materials, UO Libraries.  
  • Institutional Transformation: Jim Brooks, interim vice president, Student Services and Enrollment Management; Laura Pulido, professor of Indigenous, race and ethnic studies; Cecile Gadson, senior staff psychologist, University Counseling Services. 
  • Student Leadership: Daniel Gyekye, graduate employee, School of Journalism and Communication.

The speaker for this year’s celebration is Tia Brown McNair, a nationally recognized leader in student success and the second speaker in the annual African American Lecture and Workshop Series. Brown’s research and scholarship align with Oregon Rising’s vision to guide our university towards its fullest potential.  

“It is our shared responsibility as a community to support the success of all students by understanding the variations of lived experiences and circumstances,” McNair said. “Delivering on the promise of higher education is centered in justice, empathy and community responsibility.”

“The Beloved Community” is a term that was popularized by King. It envisions a world where every human being can thrive. It envisions a world that is free of poverty, food insecurity, homelessness and discrimination of all kinds. It embodies a spirit of universal inclusivity. Our vision of a “Beloved Community” at UO is one that serves all members of our community.