Courage, perseverance, unity, and sacrifice. These are the values Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. espoused in pursuit of democracy for all. Values that remain critically important in today’s world.
On Wednesday, January 17, 2024, students, business and civic leaders, and community supporters will gather to remember this visionary leader through the 15th Annual Great Lakes Bay Regional Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration at Saginaw Valley State University. The evening event will begin at 7 p.m. in Curtiss Hall in the Malcolm Field Theater. Fifteen high school seniors from the Great Lakes Bay Region whose actions actively embrace Dr. King’s dream of improving racial harmony and social justice will be recognized as this year’s Martin Luther King Scholarship recipients.
At the heart of Dr. King’s philosophy was the concept of service. Accordingly, three individuals – one from Bay, Midland and Saginaw – will be honored with the 2023 MLK Drum Major for Service Award. This award recognizes unsung heroes who perform extraordinary and ordinary, every-day acts of service with reliability and commitment, but who seldom receive recognition.
We are thrilled to announce that Melissa Harris-Perry – Maya Angelou Presidential Chair at Wake Forest University in the Politics and International Affairs Department – will be the keynote speaker. Melissa is founder and president of the Anna Julia Cooper Center, an independent organization advancing justice through intersectional scholarship and action. Harris-Perry received her B.A. degree in English from Wake Forest University and her Ph.D. degree in political science from Duke University. She serves on several boards and award committees and is a trustee of The Century Foundation, The Next 100 and The Markup.
I am proud to serve my community through my role at BACF. As a Program Officer, I collaborate with nonprofit, government, church, and school partners in Bay and Arenac counties to navigate our grant opportunities and find the right funding alignment. From project conception to post-award, I am your main contact for all things grants. Connecting organizations and donors who share the same vision and passion is at the heart of my work.
