Early Bird

Attend the Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Breakfast and Awards

Save the date for the virtual celebration Jan. 15.

December 16, 2020

For 30 years, the Metropolitan State University of Denver community has come together each January to celebrate the life, legacy and ideals of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at the annual MLK Peace Breakfast. The event celebrates individuals who keep King’s spirit and dream alive, applauding their commitment to peace, justice, diversity, equality and social change. Although we cannot gather in person this year, we persist, as Roadrunners do, and will deliver a great program online. 

Please save the date to attend the 2021 MLK Peace Breakfast:

Jan. 15

9-10:45 a.m., Keynote, Program and Peace Awards

2:30-4 p.m., Panel Discussion

As our nation confronted an unprecedented global pandemic this year, it also mourned the deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police officers that triggered a renewed movement of protests against systemic racial injustice. Perhaps more than ever, the legacy of King and all that he stood for inspired the 2021 MLK Peace Breakfast theme, “Know Justice, Know Peace.” The theme is centered on the need for immediate radical change and raising awareness surrounding racial injustice. As King stated, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” To know justice is to know peace. Without evidence of change, no justice, no peace will endure.

Melina Abdullah, Ph.D., who is among the original group of organizers that convened to form Black Lives Matter and continues to serve as a Los Angeles chapter leader, will serve as this year’s keynote speaker. She is also professor and chair of Pan-African Studies at California State University, Los Angeles. Abdullah earned her Ph.D. from the University of Southern California in Political Science and her B.A. from Howard University in African American Studies. 

Abdullah is a leader in the fight for ethnic studies in the K-12 and university systems and was a part of the historic victory that made ethnic studies a requirement in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She also served on the Taskforce for the Advancement of Ethnic Studies for the California State University system. From 2014-18, Abdullah served on the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission, where she initiated and chaired countywide hearings on community experiences with policing and was instrumental in replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day.

In addition to the program, there will be a panel discussion with Abdullah beginning at 2:30 p.m. Panelists to be announced.

The MLK Peace Breakfast committee invites you to attend what is sure to be a memorable event. Watch the Early Bird in January to see the Peace Award winners.