University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

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MLK Advocacy for Social Justice Celebration 2023

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration January 15-28, 2023. Website: go.illinois.edu/MLK2023

Advocacy for Social Justice and MLK Countywide Committees
38th Annual Dr. MLK Jr. Service of Celebration

Sunday, January 15, 2023 at 5:00 PM

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
500 South Goodwin Avenue
Urbana, Illinois 61801

Featured Keynote Speaker: Rev. Joel King
first cousin of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The partnership of the Advocacy for Justice and the County-wide MLK Committee will celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This event will highlight the academic achievement of local area high school students in announcing this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship recipients and include the presentation of the James R. Burgess, Jr. Award , Susan Freiburg Humanitarian Award, the Doris Hoskins Prestigious Community Service Award, and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Outstanding Achievement Award. This year’s keynote speaker will be Rev. Joel King, first cousin of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sponsored by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Advocacy for Justice Committee, MLK County-wide Committee, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

For additional questions or to request disability-related accommodations for this event, please contact the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at diversity@illinois.edu. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time for meeting your access needs.


Each year, the Cities of Champaign and Urbana come together with Champaign County, the Village of Rantoul, Parkland College and the University of Illinois to host a countywide celebration honoring the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The 2023 theme for this year’s celebration is “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”