网红头条

KENNESAW, Ga. | Jan 16, 2018

Ed Gordon implores students to put action behind the dream

Deshawn Jamison is still acclimating to campus life after just his first week as a 网红头条student, but he wasn鈥檛 going to miss the University鈥檚 annual ceremony to celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Jamison, who transferred to KSU this semester, said he became interested at a young age in King鈥檚 civil rights leadership through non-violence and civil disobedience. Jamison grew up in Hinesville, Ga., and was inspired by visiting the nearby Dorchester Academy, an African-American historic site that hosted King鈥檚 planning meetings for his 1963 march on Birmingham.

鈥淕rowing up, there really weren鈥檛 a lot of positive male influences present, so I learned a lot about Dr. King,鈥� said Jamison, a political science major. 鈥淔ortunately, Dr. King鈥檚 example was always present, and I was able to model my life after his teachings and his way of doing things.鈥�

Jamison and everyone else attending Sunday鈥檚 ceremony at the Bailey Performance Center was issued a challenge by guest speaker Ed Gordon. Gordon, an Emmy Award-winning journalist, explained that advancing the equal-rights progress made by King and others will be possible only by putting action behind that dream.

鈥淲e have forgotten that Dr. King was far more than a dreamer. King came from the generation of doers,鈥� Gordon said. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 be silent. We can鈥檛 be in a corner just complaining and shaking our heads. If we do that, we do a disservice to Dr. King.鈥�

Gordon lamented that he 鈥渉ears a lot of platitudes and sees a lot of press conferences鈥� regarding civil rights nowadays, but he doesn鈥檛 see the same organization and action that caused change in the 1960s. To make a real difference, he said, people must do more than share a social media post about a civil or human rights issue that鈥檚 in the headlines.

鈥淵ou snap a picture of yourself in an 鈥業 Can鈥檛 Breathe鈥� T-shirt at a rally that you just went to because everybody else went, and you put it on Facebook. If you get a bunch of 鈥榣ikes,鈥� you think you鈥檝e made a change in society 鈥� and you haven鈥檛,鈥� Gordon said. 鈥淚 believe that, if King and that generation had Instagram back then, they would鈥檝e been posting on Instagram. But they had a plan. They had a movement.鈥�

One basic step Gordon mentioned more than once is to exercise the right to vote. He urged Americans, particularly African-Americans, to understand the difference they can make in an election simply by getting out and voting.

鈥淧eople who will complain and who will salute Dr. King or put their fist up when they see Nelson Mandela are those same people who choose not to vote,鈥� Gordon said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 an irony there because both of those men died, generations bled, for your right to cast that vote. And then we don鈥檛.鈥�

Gordon concluded by telling the attendees to ask themselves, 鈥淎re we ready for change? And what is my role in it?鈥� That message resonated with 网红头条senior Lucas Frink, a professional sales major from Statesboro, Ga.

鈥淚 firmly believe it鈥檚 not what you say, but the action behind whatever you do, that has great impact,鈥� Frink said. 鈥淚鈥檓 here to gain a better understanding, a different perspective, and just move forward so I myself can prosper as well as possibly offer a different ideology to somebody else.鈥�

The program also included musical selections from the KSU Gospel Choir and remarks by Brandon Jackson and Nathalia Jaramillo, the co-chairs of Kennesaw State鈥檚 MLK Committee. Jaramillo, KSU鈥檚 deputy chief diversity officer and a professor of interdisciplinary studies, encouraged thoughtful discussion and debate of the issues raised in King鈥檚 1967 book that inspired this year鈥檚 MLK Week theme, 鈥淲here Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?鈥�

鈥淭he issues that Dr. King contemplated in his last book 鈥� notions of power, political representation, economic justice, materialism, militarism, peace, love and freedom 鈥� are so relevant today,鈥� Jaramillo said. 鈥淲e hope that our celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. will provide you with the space to engage with many different perspectives, and to consider the powerful insights that he left us with.鈥�

Kennesaw State鈥檚 observance of MLK Week continues through Thursday. For the full calendar of events, click .

鈥� Paul Floeckher

Photos by Lauren Kress

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, 网红头条 offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. 网红头条is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. 网红头条is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.