CSU, Fort Collins Communities Celebrate the Faces of Freedom on MLK Day Jan. 21

The Colorado State University and Fort Collins communities will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day with several events on Monday, Jan. 21. This year’s theme is “Faces of Freedom: Past, Present, Future.”

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a prominent face of freedom but he is not the only face of freedom,” said Bridgette Johnson, director of CSU’s Black/African American Cultural Center. “There are many everyday heroes who also represent freedom, including children on the playground, teachers in the classroom, janitors cleaning the building you work in, firefighters and police officers who put their lives at risk daily, and the soldiers who fight for our freedom.”

The celebration kicks off at 1 p.m. with the traditional community march from Old Town Square to the Lory Student Center on CSU’s campus.

The march leads to the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, which starts at 1:45 p.m. in the LSC Main Ballroom. The event features winners of the Poudre School District essay/poetry contest. A Volunteer Fair immediately follows the program in the LSC Food Court. Free transportation back to Old Town will be available.

On Friday, Jan. 25, a free interactive workshop, “Dialogues on Diversity: ‘Fun Finding Out What You Don’t Know,’” gives participants the opportunity to explore social and cultural similarities and differences through a series of games and exercises. The workshop will take place from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in LSC Room 210.

Concluding this year’s MLK celebration is “The Black Jew Dialogues,” a live stand-up performance by Larry Tish and Ron Jones, which begins at 8 p.m. Jan. 25 in the LSC Theatre. The event is free and open to the public.

For more information about this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration, visit www.mlkfortcollins.org.

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