Martin Luther King Day of Engagement

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”
—Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

These words from Martin Luther King Jr. are the call to action behind the nationwide Day of Service that takes place on the King holiday. Every January, Bard College students, staff, and faculty members take those words to heart as they volunteer with organizations across the Hudson Valley for the College’s MLK Day of Engagement.

MLK Day 2020

Saturday, January 18*

Do you know what the MLK Day of Engagement is? Every year, on and around MLK Day, the Bard College Center for Civic Engagement provides a variety of opportunities for students to carry out the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King.
To learn more, watch this video. Then scroll down to see all the engagement opportunities and to sign up.

SIGN UP NOW >>
*Some events will take place Jan. 20. See descriptions for more.

MLK Day 2020 Mini-Conference

Saturday, January 18
Olin Auditorium
12:30 pm -1:45 pm including Q &A

Please join us in welcoming our civically engaged panel of local community leaders to Bard College's MLK Day of Engagement as they discuss inclusive practices for youth and the community as a whole.

Panelists

L'Quette Taylor was born in Poughkeepsie, New York and has lived there ever since. He is an architectural project manager for a glazing contractor. In April 2018, he started a non-profit organization, Community Matters 2, Inc. (CM2), to focus on issues that affect the community, to collaborate with organizations to provide resources to those in need, and to serve as a community network for Poughkeepsie residents. In just a year and a half, L'Quette has organized seven community cleanups. On April 13th, CM2 executed the largest volunteer cleanup, collaborating with more than 20 organizations and 235 volunteers. The effort removed 1.6 tons of trash from the inner streets of the Poughkeepsie. CM2 received a Proclamation from the City of Poughkeepsie and the New York State Senate, and was honored with the 2019 Community Builders Award.

L'Quette believes children are the solution to many of the challenges facing the Poughkeepsie community. He has evolved CM2’s efforts towards helping local children with the development of programs geared towards education as well as simply having fun. In June 2019, CM2 initiated the Open Gym & Activities program to give youth a safe place to go on the weekend, enjoy meals, and build positive relationships with others in their community. Most recently, CM2 took a group of young people to the Newburgh Armory where they learned about graphic design, participated in leadership exercises, and even had the chance to play with the Marist College basketball team. L'Quette believes in the importance of chance: everyone should have the opportunity to have one.

Shaniqua Bowden is a 7-year Kingston resident who works as outreach coordinator for the Kingston Land Trust (KLT) and program leader of their Sanctuary for Land Heritage Initiative. The Kingston Land Trust is an organization that protects environmentally and socially significant land in the interest of the common good.

Shaniqua first fell in love with green space as a kid dancing under the stars in her hometown of South Boston, Virginia. She later moved to New York City where she studied communications and interdisciplinary studies at Empire State College. Shaniqua now dedicates her time to making Kingston a well-rounded community. At KLT, her aim is to assist with their mission of providing public land access for all.

Shaniqua is a proud mom and active entrepreneur. She is the founder and host of the Nubian Cafe, a discussion series featuring mainly women of color expressing their views on such topics as health, wealth, relationships, politics, race, spirituality, business, life achievements, and more. The show airs on Radio Kingston every Thursday, from 1 to 3pm.

Along with her husband, Frank Waters, Shaniqua founded MyKingstonKids, an organization created to help the parents of Kingston find children's events and activities. Shaniqua is actively involved in Black History Month Kingston, for which Frank is the lead organizer, and Women’s History Month Kingston.

Cammie Jones has dedicated her life towards civic engagement both professionally and personally and believes in the saying that “service is the rent you pay for the privilege of living on this earth.” Cammie serves as the Associate Dean for Experiential Learning and Civic Engagement and teaches a Women and Leadership course at Bard College where it is the fundamental belief that education and civil society are inextricably linked. Before her role at Bard, Cammie developed and launched Dutchess Community College’s Service Learning Department which served over 50 nonprofit agencies within the county and accounted for over 11,000 hours of service within 2 years. Cammie began her career in higher education and civic engagement through service as Assistant Director of Student-Athlete Enhancement at Marist College which led to the founding of a female leadership program, Ladies Empowering Athletics Program, and created an expansive life skills program for student-athletes.

Cammie is a Board Member of Dutchess Outreach, the Chair of the KidVenture Creatives Committee for the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce (DCRCOC), Secretary of the Ductchess County Dem Committee and Dutchess County Young Dems, and serves on the Catharine Street Community Center MLK Scholarship Committee, Hyde Park Democratic Committee, and International Women’s Day Committee through DCRCOC. She also serves as an upper elementary Sunday School teacher at Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Wappingers Falls.

Cammie has received several awards for her work in higher education and community engagement, including the Dutchess County Regional Chamber Of Commerce’s 2012 Forty Under 40 Class, N4A 2014 Professional Promise Award for Region 1, the AWCC 2017 Forty Under 40 Class, and the 2017 Arc of Dutchess Peggy Martinko Community Trailblazer Award.

Cammie holds a B.S. in Kinesiology from the University of Texas at Austin and a M.A. in Higher Education Administration from Louisiana State University A&M. Cammie is a proud native of Dallas, TX and finds any opportunity to show off her state pride. She calls Hyde Park, NY her second home.

Jody Miller is the Dutchess County Human Rights/EEO Officer. She is Chair of the Commission on Human Rights Commission, a 15 member Commission with a mission of Defending Human Rights, Bridging Differences, Embracing Diversity. She is co-founder of the 100 Cups of Coffee Transformative Dialogue Project. As the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, she is responsible for discrimination/harassment policy, training and investigation, implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations and policy, and diversity and inclusion in the workforce. Prior to her current role, she was the executive director of a community mediation center and worked closely with courts, businesses, schools and the community to develop mediation programs and provide conflict resolution training. She has more than 20 years in the alternative dispute resolution field.

Jody is an adjunct professor of mediation at the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University and is a Fellow of the Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation. She serves on the Dutchess County Aging Services Advisory Board, and NYS Sen. Sue Serino’s Aging Advisory Council. Jody is a certified trainer through the New York State Unified Court System’s Office of Alternative Dispute Resolution Programs (ADR). She has been a presenter at conferences throughout the United States, as well as in Italy, China and the Netherlands. Jody is the 2016 recipient of the Lawrence Cooke Peace Innovator Award from the New York State Dispute Resolution Association.

Events & Activities on Saturday, Jan. 18

Happening On Campus

Literacy, Learning, and Justice in School
Facilitator: Assistant Dean of Students Timand Bates ‘02
Location: Olin 106
Interested in tutoring children and teens in the community? Timand’s experience as a writing
major at Bard has influenced his understanding of the connection between democracy and
education. Beginning his career as a literacy tutor he moved to teaching in the NYC public
school system before becoming a dean at Bard. Skilled at working with students of all levels,
from Bard MAT students to first graders, Timand will expose participants to some practical
tutoring skills while exploring education as social change. All levels of experience welcome
from novice to trained tutor.

Biomimicry: How Learning From Our Biological Elders Could Change Our World
Facilitator: Dorna Schroeter
Location: Olin 102
Biomimicry is an approach to innovation that seeks sustainable solutions to human challenges by emulating nature’s time-tested patterns and strategies. In the coming decades some form of biomimicry will be incorporated in almost every job. During this session we will examine several bio-inspired products currently available on the market and participate in a design challenge framed around the question, how would nature solve that?

Better Angels: Blind Spots in Politics and Public Policy
Facilitators: Lucy Gerold
Location: Olin 305
Better Angels is a national citizens’ movement to reduce political polarization in the United States by bringing liberals and conservatives together to understand each other beyond stereotypes, forming red/blue community alliances, teaching practical skills for communicating across political differences, and making a strong public argument for depolarization. They unite red and blue Americans in a working alliance to Depolarize America. Instead of asking people to change their minds about key issues, they give all Americans a chance to better understand each other, to absorb the values and experiences that inform our political philosophies, and to ultimately recognize our common humanity.

Impassioned Speech - How to make sure people hear what you need them to.
Facilitator: Dean of Students Bethany Nohlgren and Assistant Dean of Students Alexis Lopez
Location: Olin 205
In an age where tweets hold more power than conversations and memes are used to cancel someone you don't agree with, how do you effectively communicate your point? In this interactive workshop, we'll explore ways to use public speaking methods to help advance your agenda. Whether you are applying for a job, appealing for a donation, or speaking to 1000's of people, learning how to effectively and compassionately get your point across is a necessary tool for any advocate and activist. Dean of Students Bethany Nohlgren and Assistant Dean of Students Alexis Lopez lead you in an exploration of effective ways to get your voice heard.

Fake News, Election Politics & You
Facilitators: Jeremy Hall, Digital Technologies Development, Yauch House Librarian and Alexa Murphy, Resource Sharing, McWilliams House Librarian
Location: Mac Lab in Old Henderson
Learn how false information is threatening our democracy and our planet, and what you can do about it. False and misleading information--in all its forms--is having profound effects on democracy and policy around the world. In this interactive workshop, we will explore how information, misinformation, and disinformation are disseminated and consumed, how this affects civic life, and what role we play in these dynamics as digital citizens. Through a series of hands-on activities and discussions, students will learn how to identify bias, confirm facts, and spot fake news. We will also consider actions we can take to stop the spread of false information and its effects.
This year's workshop will focus on spotting bias and disinformation in the news, fact checking tools & other news literacy skills.

Reconfiguring Radical Black Politics: A Facilitated Conversation on the Historical Revision of Black Memory
Facilitator: Stone Mims
Location: Olin 204
W.H. Auden once wrote that "The words of a dead man Are modified in the guts of the living" meaning that those in the present often distort and modify the beliefs of a once revered figure in order to fit a political agenda or intrinsic bias. The conversation will seek to unpack the reasonings and biases that lead people to reconceptualize and reinvision Black activists and shift the narratives of their work away from their temporal relativity/verisimilitude and towards their own sensationalized visions.

African Dance Workshop
Facilitator: Kai Hutton
Location: Aerobics/mirror room in gym
Kai will be holding an Afro Pulse dance workshop teaching a dance created for Gbessi Gbeko by the club heads. You all will begin with a warm up, and Kai will then teach the dance and towards the end everyone will do the dance without his instruction. Please come and join us for a fun and pumped up time learning original Afro Pulse dances!

Inter-Faith Religion and Social Justice
Facilitator: Josue Rosario-Caliz (Sway) and Nora Zaki
Location: Olin 203

Bystander Intervention training: Mentors in Violence Prevention
Facilitator: Bella Mazzetti
Location: Olin 202
The training will be hosted by Bella Mazzetti who is the Program Educator for Title IX at Bard College. This short primer course will provide students with some tools to act in the face of oppression; interested students can take the full 12 hour training in the Spring semester.

Having the Bias Conversation with your Reactive Relatives, Friends and Beyond
Facilitator: Allie Ferguson
Location: Olin 201
Senior Bard student Allie Ferguson will be leading a discussion on having conversations with loved ones about bias. It is based off of her senior project. This is a presentation on how to have in-person conversations about controversial topics (focusing on race and politics) with people who you are invested in. It's hard when you disagree with someone who loves you, or who you love, but some forethought and access to rhetorical tools can make the entire process more smooth and less stressful.

The Legitimacy and Legacy of Historically Black Fraternities and Sororities
Facilitator: Darnell Pierce
Location: Olin 301
This session will discuss and explore the existence of historically black fraternities and sororities, and how they have contributed to social change, access to education, and civil rights.

Understanding Hate with an Emphasis on Antisemitism
Facilitator: Kenneth Stern
Location: Barringer House, Global Classroom
This workshop provides an opportunity for students to discuss why and how people hate, with some time set aside to explore antisemitism. It will be led by Kenneth Stern who is the director of the Bard Center for the Study of Hate.

Why Veganism?
Facilitator: Curtis Stedge
Location: Olin 101
Students will engage in a discussion on veganism, including the various reasons why one might adopt a vegan lifestyle, the impact of adopting such a lifestyle, and where to begin.

The “Brainstorm”
Facilitator: Jewel P. Walcott
Location: Olin 307
Determining the key elements of organizing a community-based project can be challenging. Supplied with prompts, a planning kit, a budget, and working against a countdown clock, students must work together to come up with a community-based project that meets specific objectives to help a group from the community change their circumstances. Escape room-style intensity adds some fun and energy to a typically basic brainstorming session.

National Coalition Building Welcoming Diversity Workshop
Facilitator: Kahan Sablo, Dean of Inclusive Excellence
Location: Olin 306
This workshop will be a HIGHLY INTERACTIVE opportunity for students to celebrate the diversity of Bard College. Workshop participants will embrace holistic intersectionality, while simultaneously confronting racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, and other societal ills. Individuals who attend this session are expected to share and fully participate in this thought provoking experience.

Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson
On-campus tabling
Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson is a n organization dedicated to winning demands for Immigrants and Allies such as statewide Driver’s license accessibility, municipal IDs, and other meaningful protections for about 11 million undocumented Immigrants. Stop by and figure out ways that you can help fight the Immigration crisis today and defend Immigrants living in the United States. Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson also organizes hundreds of people to register and mobilize thousands of working people of color and Immigrants. Beyond raising money to sustain their work, they work to transform volunteers into lifelong movement contributors as fundraisers, donors and active participants.

Happening Off Campus

Red Hook Community Center Repair Cafe
Steven Appenzeller and Laurie Husted
The Red Hook Repair Cafe is a volunteer run organization that provides free repair services to members of the community so that they can continue using their loved, but broken items rather than discarding them in the landfill. The Repair Cafe, run in conjunction with the Town of Red Hook Conservation Advisory Council (CAC), is one of the ways our community is working to support a more sustainable future. Tatiana Orlova will photograph this event.

Red Hook Public Library
Red Hook Public Library is a place of ideas, creativity and imagination. Our vision is to create innovative opportunities that enrich the lives of Red Hook residents by providing information that inspires curiosity and leads to learning experiences for patrons of all ages.The mission of the Red Hook Public Library is to encourage free and open access to learning, to be a place where Red Hook connects, and to be a place for all to experience the joy of reading and the power of information.
This workshop includes crafts & activities but most importantly a timeline of the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. where students walk through and add to it.

AJ Williams-Myers African Roots Center and Library
Troy Ellen Dixon
The African Roots Library continues its partnership with Bard through its Trustee Leader Scholars program. The library promotes literacy through teaching and learning about the African roots experience. They honor and encourage the transmission of history through written and oral history, spoken word, paintings, cultural artifacts and other forms of artistic expression. This is based on the belief that knowledge of the diverse cultural roots of people in our community needs to be understood and spread through sharing and learning from one another.
From 2-6pm, the library will be hosting a program named “Praising Our Ancestors”. It is a coming together of Redwing Blackbird Theater giant activist puppets and music provided by Good Gourd, a singing and percussion group under the direction of Shekere Percussion Master Carol Caru Thompson. The performance honors African-American heritage and culture, and students will have the opportunity to work under the direction of Amy Trompetter, director of the Redwing Blackbird Theater.

UlsterCorps
UlsterCorps is a countywide resource dedicated to fostering a culture of volunteerism, collaborative work and community service. Their mission is to educate about volunteerism and best practices, facilitate successful and effective volunteer placements, and build collaborations among nonprofit organizations, local government agencies, and businesses engaged in community involvement throughout Ulster County.
They will be hosting their annual MLK Day Celebration of Service

Habitat for Humanity ReStore of Dutchess
Dutchess County Habitat for Humanity is part of a global, nonprofit housing organization operated on Christian principles that seeks to put God’s love into action by building homes, communities and hope. Dutchess County Habitat for Humanity is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing locally and worldwide through constructing, rehabilitating and preserving homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. Habitat for Humanity was founded on the conviction that every man, woman and child should have a simple, durable place to live in dignity and safety, and that decent shelter in decent communities should be a matter of conscience and action for all.

Ramapo for Children
Ramapo for Children is a fun and rewarding way to interact with students and participate in activities with young adults with learning differences, ADHD, and Autism. Join Staff Teens to work together to lead and/or support activities for former summer campers (14-21) with social, emotional, and learning challenges.

Red Hook Food Pantry
The Red Hook Food Pantry is dedicated to providing non perishable food products to people of the Red Hook community that may not necessarily have the means to provide these resources for themselves. They partner with Hannaford’s collecting a monthly supply and are open to donations for the local community. The Red Hook Food Pantry usually needs help organizing the food products, shelves and stocking. They also have a clothing section for which they donate and sell garments. This is an easy and fun way of becoming more involved in the community!

Family of Woodstock - Darmstadt Shelter*
Emergency shelter (up to 90 days) for up to 19 men and women. Housing and services for men and women participating in daily substance abuse and/or mental health programming, who need a clean and sober living environment. The program also provides Intensive Homeless Supervision, which provides supervision and support to individuals at risk of requiring a higher level of care or supervision, including those involved in the criminal justice system.
*This event will take place Monday, January 20th

You Can Make a Difference

Connect to one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and commit to action for the year.

The MLK Day of Engagement introduces Bard students to the community around campus and challenges them to deepen their local roots. In honor of MLK’s legacy and his call to address the urgent questions we face, each volunteer site for MLK Day is connected to one or more of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. We encourage students commit to civic action beyond MLK Day and adopt one of these goals for the year.

"Commit to Action" panelists Matthew Martini, Sarah Salem, Leslie Tracey, Rev. Giancarlo Llaverias, and Cammie Jones during the MLK Day mini-conference.

Last Year ...

Bard College Celebrated Ninth Annual MLK Day with Volunteer Projects, Civic Engagement Conference

Over 200 Bard students, along with staff and faculty members, volunteered with Hudson Valley organizations for the College’s Ninth Annual MLK Day of Engagement in January 2019. The event expanded this year, with volunteer opportunities taking place throughout the holiday weekend, as well as a mini-conference on civic engagement on campus, and a community fair in cooperation with the Red Hook Community Center.

Full Story

Photo by Joy Al-Nemri

Making a Difference

On the MLK Day of Engagement 2019, Bard students volunteered at Bard's Montgomery Place Campus, pruning and clearing brush on the historic property.