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Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Day
The Babson community honors and reflects upon the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. every year.
This event, hosted by the Office of Multicultural and Identity Programs, is a celebration of Dr. King—and of the many Black leaders who continue to push for the realization of King’s vision of justice, equality, and peace today. It inspires conversations about how all of us can, and should, support this work in meaningful ways.
Wes Woodson
Mental Health Advocate
Keynote Speaker at 20th Annual MLK Jr. Legacy Day
Wesley Woodson, is a renowned public speaker, mental health advocate, and published author of the book I have Anxiety (so what?). Wes is also the founder and chief storyteller of Wes Woodson Enterprises, a mental health education company on a mission to elevate the world’s self-esteem. As a Babson alum, Wes has chosen a career of humanity by helping others discover the power of self-acceptance in the face of mental health challenges. Through sharing his own story of learning the art of self-acceptance while living with social anxiety, he empowers others to believe the compassionate truth: I AM ENOUGH.
2024 Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Day Event
Thursday, February 15, 2024
Previous Speakers
Babson College has proudly hosted impressive keynote speakers for its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Day event. Below is a list of previous speakers as well as the themes they focused on in their talks.
Babson was honored to host voting rights activist, advocate, and visionary leader LaTosha Brown as the 2023 keynote speaker.
Brown is a contributor to The New York Times op-ed page and a senior practice fellow at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. As co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund organization, Brown is dedicated to increasing the political power of Black people.
2022
Speaker: James Blake
2021
Theme: Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?
Speaker: Farah Bernier MBA’08
2020
Theme: A Chance In the World for All
Speaker: Steve Pemberton
2019
Theme: The Winding Road Toward Justice and Equality
Speaker: Mónica Ramírez
2018
Theme: Tearing Hatred from the Sky
Speaker: Bree Newsome
2017
Theme: History Under Assault
Speaker: Thomas Chatterton Williams
2016
Theme: Eavesdropping on America’s Conversation on Race
Speaker: Michele Norris
2015
Theme: Resegregation in Post–Civil Rights America
Speaker: Dr. Khalil Gibran Muhammad
2014
Theme: Globalization in the Prison Industrial Complex
Speaker: Angela Davis
2013
Theme: Race and the Persistence of Social Inequality in Contemporary America
Speaker: Ta-Nehisi Coates
2012
Theme: The Quest for Equality: Empathy and Global Justice in a Divided World
Speaker: Rinku Sen
2011
Theme: Sustaining King’s Legacy: Social Justice through a Green Economy
Speaker: Van Jones
2010
Theme: American Culture and the Pursuit of Justice in a Global Society
Speaker: Patricia Williams
2009
Theme: The New Activism: Power, Global Citizenship, and the Path to Equality
Speaker: Kevin Powell
2008
Theme: Freedom and Self-Determination in the Global Era
Speaker: John Edgar Wideman
2007
Theme: Economic Disparity and Race: A Necessary Redress
Speaker: Naomi Tutu
2006
Theme: 50 Years After Montgomery: Is the Dream Deferred, Diluted, or Fulfilled?
Speaker: Juan Williams
2005
Theme: Micro-lending: Banker to the Poor
Speaker: Muhammad Yunus
2004
First Annual MLK Legacy Day
Speaker: Julianne Malveaux
Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Awards
These awards honor members of the Babson community who reflect Dr. King’s principles in philosophy and action. A recipient is awarded in each of the following five categories: undergraduate student, graduate student, faculty member, staff member, and alum—groups and organizations can qualify. Babson has bestowed these awards to honor and support Dr. King’s legacy since 2004. The process is organized by the Office of Multicultural and Identity Programs.
Award-Winner Aaron Walton Leads a Beautiful Disruption
“We’re living in this era of intersections. When you surround yourself with people who aren’t like you, the IQ of the group becomes stronger and bigger. . . . We have to have the courage and collide, to go out and try something that we’ve never done before.”
Aaron Walton ’83
MLK Jr. Leadership Award ’20
Co-founder & CEO, Walton Isaacson
Babson’s First Black Male Student Government Association President
Award Criteria
The recipients of this award will have gone above and beyond the requirements of job responsibilities, organizational mission, or charter and will have raised the bar for those who follow in their footsteps. The recipient’s actions and behaviors in working either on or off campus for the betterment of the community will be in a manner consistent with the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Written nominations must clearly address how the nominee(s) have visibly demonstrated:
- Courage and conviction in valuing differences
- Commitment to “seeing beyond borders” through an inclusive approach
- Acceptance of challenge and risk in achieving goals for the greater good
- Compassion for humanity
Nominations are due by January 15, 2024. Please email nominations to njoseph@babson.edu
2023
Dana Francois MBA ‘19
Zykera Steward ‘23
Santucee Bell MBA ‘23
Dr. Wiljeana Glover Associate Professor, Founding Faculty Director, Kerry Murphy Healey Center for Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Dr. Sadie Burton-Goss Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer
2022
Kai Lightner ’22
Judithe Registre MBA’22
David Heath ’05 and Andrew Heath MBA’12
Dr. Anjali Bal, Associate Professor, Marketing
Dr. Shakenna Williams ’94, Executive Director, CWEL
2021
Jaylen Bell ’21
Shoaib Rahaman ’21
Angela Randolph, Assistant Professor, Entrepreneurship
Tracey Reza, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Administration
Amanda Strong ’87, Babson College Trustee
2020
Zahira Perez ’20
Sienzhi Kouemo ’20
Larinda Cole, Undergraduate Center for Career Development
Donna Stoddard, TOIM Division
Aaron Walton ’83
2019
Duruo Murray ’21
Britney Aguayo ’21
2018
Cristina Corrie ’19
Kevin Bruyneel, Professor of History & Society
2017
Flora Ekpe-Idang MBA’17
Mark Gagliardi MBA’17
Rachel Greenberger MBA’11, Food Sol
2016
Shatiek Gatlin ’16
Khalif Heatley ’17
Nadia Mendes ’18
Tina Opie, Associate Professor of Management
2015
Taelyr Roberts ’15
Kerry E. Rourke, Associate Teaching Professor of Arts & Humanities
2014
Nitiya Walker ’14
Marjorie Feld, Professor of History & Society
2013
Amir Reza, Vice Provost, International & Multicultural Education, Origins of Necessary Equality (ONE) Tower
2012
Rayshawn Whitford ’12
Elizabeth Goldberg, Associate Professor, Arts & Humanities
2011
Miles Masci M’11
Eliana Crosina, Director, Alumni and Friends Network and Service Programs
2010
Winfred Fields ’12
Burl Hash, Director, Sorenson Center for the Arts
2009
Monica Johnson M’09
Mary Pinard, Associate Professor of English, Arts & Humanities
2008
Sarah English ’08, President, Black Student Union
Chris Kandus, Assistant Dean, Campus Life
2007
Asad Rahim ’07
Toni Blackwell, Associate Dean and Director, Student Diversity Programming
2006
Kit Yan ’06
Brent Damrow, Associate Dean and Director, Academic Services
2005
Soriah Anvary ’05
Melissa Shaak, Former Director, Student Financial Services, and Associate Dean, Undergraduate School
2004
Richard Bliss, Associate Professor, Finance
Creativity Contest
One of the cornerstones of Dr. King’s legacy is his call for civic participation and the fight to counter voter suppression. We invite current undergraduate and graduate students to submit creative works made in response to our prompts, updated annually and related to voting rights and access. Creative work may take the form of a nonfiction essay, sculpture, poem, short story, painting, photograph, spoken word performance, or other creative form. Winners will be announced during the celebration.
Entering the Creativity Contest
We invite current graduate and undergraduate students to submit creative works in response to one of the following prompts based on Wes Woodson’s important work. Your creative work may take the form of a non-fiction essay, sculpture, poem, short story, painting, photograph, or spoken word performance, or other creative form. Winners of this creativity contest will be announced during a celebration on February 16, 2024.
Previous Creativity Contest Winners
Babson has held this contest as another way of celebrating and supporting Dr. King’s legacy since 2004. The contest is organized by the Office of Multicultural and Identity Programs.
2022
Co-winners: Madison Spence and Skylar Jackenthal
2021
First Place: Xiomara Kelly ’21
Second Place: Skylar Jackenthal ’23
Third Place: Gioia de la Feld ’21
2020
First Place: Gioia de la Feld ’21
Second Place: Melissa Denizard ’20
Third Place: Wes Woodson ’20
2019
First Place: Gioia de la Feld ’21
Second Place: Melissa Denizard ’20
Third Place: Aswini Melekote ’19
2018
First Place: Melissa Denizard ’20
Second Place: NiaChloe Bowman ’19
Third Place: Temilayo Awefeso ’20