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Chuck D to speak at GRCC MLK Day commemoration
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Chuck D, co-founder of legendary rap group Public Enemy, will serve as the keynote speaker of Grand Rapids Community College’s 28th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration on Jan. 20.
GRCC will join Davenport and Grand Valley State universities in hosting events in memory of the slain civil rights leader. Events on the GRCC campus start with a Community Peace March that will commence at noon, leaving from the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse, 111 Lyon St. NE. The march will end back at the fieldhouse for a 12:30 p.m.program, which will be led by board of trustees President Bert Bleke and Arielle Brown, president of GRCC’s Black Student Union and a student in the dental hygiene program.
“I am both honored and pleased to be a part of such an historic occasion,” Brown said. “The community march and memorial program allow us the opportunity to inform, educate and inspire the younger generation of leaders – who will not only be attending, but will also be participating in this program – on the history of both Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement.”
“We are always proud to host this public commemoration of Dr. King’s work at GRCC, and it’s inspiring to see our students find new ways to embrace his legacy of public service,” Bleke said.
The evening commemoration starts at 6:30 p.m. in the fieldhouse and features Chuck D talking about “The Reality of the Dream.” Chuck D — author, activist, publisher, radio host and producer — has served as a national spokesman for Rock the Vote, the National Urban League, Americans for the Arts Council and the National Alliance for African-American Athletes. He has hosted “On the Real/Off the Record” for Air America for the past five years. The Fisk Jubilee Singers, a musical ensemble from Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn., will also perform.
All events are free and open to the public. If you anticipate a need for an accommodation, or have questions about accessibility, please call GRCC’s Student Life office at (616) 234-3531 in advance of your participation.
Grand Rapids Community College, established in 1914, offers opportunities for more than 30,000 students annually in degree courses, certification and training programs, workshops and personal enrichment classes.GRCC holds classes on the downtown Grand Rapids campus as well as several locations throughout Kent and Ottawa counties.
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