University Of Massachusetts Amherst To Host Martin Luther King Jr Day

On Tuesday, Jan. 17, UMass Amherst will welcome campus and local community members to the first annual Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Racial Healing Community Brunch. This event will focus on the theme of “a legacy of social justice” as we celebrate King’s historic legacy of the civil rights movement and its impact on the civil rights movements of the present. The event will take place at the Student Union Ballroom at 9 a.m. and registration is required to attend in person.

The featured speaker for the brunch is Ndaba Mandela, author, activist, spokesperson, and entrepreneur. He is the co-founder and co-chairman of the Africa Rising Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting a positive image of Africa around the world and to increasing its potential for growth in the areas of education, employment and international corporate alliances for profit and partnership. He is also the longest-serving Global Ambassador to UNAIDS, which seeks to end discrimination around HIV/AIDS.

Ndaba Mandela is also the grandson of Nelson Mandela, South African anti-apartheid activist who served as the first president of South Africa and the first Black head of state elected in a fully democratic election. With his body of work, Mandela is actively keeping the legacy of his grandfather alive with each new generation. His book, “Going to the Mountain: Life Lessons from My Grandfather, Nelson Mandela,” tells Mandela’s life through the eyes of the grandson whom he raised.

The Community Brunch will also formally introduce two new annual awards to be given to members of the UMass community: The Chancellor’s Transformational Leadership Award and the Chancellor’s Emerging Leader Award. These awards will honor UMass students, faculty, and staff who are actively cultivating an equitable and inclusive community on campus. The awards will come with a $1,500 prize and will be conferred to the recipient at the 2024 community brunch.