每日大赛

每日大赛 helped kick off Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend with its fourth annual commemorative walk Friday.

Although the walking portion of the event was canceled due to the threat of foul weather, students and faculty heard from speakers who reflected on the impact of King鈥檚 legacy and the way it can shape change today.

Laura Khurana, a member of A Better Glynn, a local nonprofit working to transform the community with equity driven leadership, urged the students to stay awake and alert to what鈥檚 happening in their community and to get involved.

鈥淲e鈥檙e here today to commemorate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr….had a lot to say about the status quo,鈥� she said.

Khurana said she learned in school that King was a hero on the right side of history. Her understanding of his legacy has grown as she鈥檚 gotten older and read more about him.

鈥淲hen he was alive, he was not a popular person,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e made a lot of people mad. He made a lot of White people mad.鈥�

Reading from her copy of 鈥淩adical King,鈥� a compilation of speeches and writings by King, Khurana tied his past words with events occurring in Glynn County today. This included an excerpt from a manuscript King wrote about the 鈥渂eloved community鈥� that works together to eradicate racism, poverty and violence.

King urges in the manuscript that citizens not sleep through moments of important social change. Khurana pressed the students to listen to this advice.

鈥淗ere he鈥檚 telling us to stay awake, to pay attention, to be aware of our surroundings and what鈥檚 going on in our community so that we can respond to it as it changes,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his might be the powerful message I can give you today through Dr. Kings own words 鈥� stay awake.鈥�

She also encouraged them to get involved in a variety of ways. She said to read the newspaper with a critical eye, vote, consider running for office, attend meetings and get to know elected officials.

鈥淥ur community needs you,鈥� Khurana said. 鈥淲e need your stories, your perspectives, your energy and your ideas. We are so lucky to have you and we can鈥檛 wait for you to come alongside us as we work to build a community that Dr. King would be proud of.鈥�

The event also included a virtual speech given by Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, who planned to attend the event in person but had to be out of town due to the recent death of his father.

Students have been a critical part of the civil rights movement during King鈥檚 time and today, Johnson said. He urged the students at CCGA to join in this work.

鈥淵oung people, students, the best and brightest of their time were the clear North Star with an absolute refusal to allow things to remain as they were,鈥� he said. 鈥淔ast forward to 2024, you are the best and brightest of our time.鈥�

Story written by Lauren McDonald of The Brunswick News lmcdonald@thebrunswicknews.com

Photos taken by Terry Dickson/The Brunswick News

Republished with the permission of The Brunswick News. Originally published in