The annual convocation celebrates the life and dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by presenting speakers who discuss the civil rights issues of equality, freedom, justice, and opportunity. The convocation also seeks to build partnerships and develop dialogue within the campus community and with the local communities served by the university.

Speaker: Kimberlé Crenshaw
Professor of law at UCLA and Columbia Law School, leading authority on civil rights, black feminist legal theory, and race, racism, and the law.

Harriet’s Legacy: Navigating Intersectionality in the Age of Trump

Positioned at the crossroads of race and gender, women and girls of color face unique barriers under the burdens of both sexism and racism. This is especially true in the wake of the 2016 election, as discrimination, racialized hate speech and gendered violence have been normalized and, seemingly encouraged, by the White House. As we enter the 2nd year under the current administration, we must reflect back not only on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but of the Black women who, although often misremembered or outright forgotten, fought for civil rights and equality throughout history. In this lecture, Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw will utilize a historical analysis with an intersectional lens to expose the impact of institutional oppression within marginalized communities’ configured networks between identities, i.e. race, gender, and socioeconomic status, a reflect on the contemporary legacy of social justice and the continued struggle for equality in the United States.

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