Kalamazoo Times

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Bakari Sellers, a political commentator and civil rights activist, is set to speak at Western Michigan University during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration on January 20. The event honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on the theme "The Power of Nonviolence: Lasting Change through Peace."

Sellers will deliver his talk at 6 p.m. in Miller Auditorium following a campus teach-in event scheduled from noon to 3:30 p.m. in the WMU Student Center ballroom. These events are free and open to the public.

His visit is organized in collaboration with several university departments, including the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Lewis Walker Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnic Relations.

Dr. Candy McCorkle-Boughton, vice president for diversity and inclusion, emphasized the importance of nonviolence as a strategy for achieving peace and freedom. “We are living in a time when racial, gender, cultural and many other freedoms are threatened," she said. "This year, we are honored to have Bakari Sellers share with us his thoughts on the theme ‘The Power of Nonviolence: Lasting Change through Peace.’”

Sellers is known for his work as a CNN analyst and host of “The Bakari Sellers Podcast.” He became South Carolina's youngest legislator at age 22 and has been an advocate for diversity and inclusion throughout his career.

The day's activities begin with a teach-in event that delves into social justice principles inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Life Blueprint" speech. The schedule includes discussions led by various panelists exploring activism, music from the Civil Rights Movement, and contemporary student demands for equity.

For more information about WMU events, visit WMU News online.