Honoring Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

January 16, 2026

Dear Gonzaga Community:

This coming Monday, our country will honor the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebrated each January, this day memorializes the works of Dr. King in advancing the American Civil Rights Movement and while it is indeed a day of celebration, it also is a charge for all of us to pause and consider our own work and how we are doing our own part to promote justice and peace in this world.

Throughout his life, Dr. King championed civil rights, promoted justice and equality, and inspired generations to see how they too could be agents of change. While words are certainly important, actions speak louder and it is inherent to our Jesuit, Catholic, humanistic mission that we put our words into action.

Dr. King once said, "We have come a long, long way, but we have a long, long, way to go." And while those words were said more than six decades ago, this quote still rings very true. Today we find ourselves in a world still riddled with challenges, inequities, and injustices and while Dr. King's dream has not been fully realized, we each play a vital role in supporting others in working towards their goals of living lives of leadership in service of the common good. Yes, we do have a long way to go, but together, driven by our shared mission, we will continue to forge forward and commit ourselves to making the world a better place.

As in years past, there are many ways to celebrate the work and legacy of Dr. King on campus and in our broader community:

 

Sunday, January 18

8-9 p.m | MLK Jr.-Themed Mass

College Hall 3rd Floor Chapel

 

Monday, January 19

8:30 a.m - 9:30 a.m | Poster Making

UMEC, Hemmingson Center Room 215

 

9:40 a.m - 10 a.m | Travel to Spokane Convention Center

 

10 - 11:30 a.m | MLK Jr. Rally and March

Spokane Convention Center (334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.)

 

Tuesday, January 20

12:15 - 1:15 p.m | MLK Teach-In

Hemmingson Ballroom South

 

Wednesday, January 21

12:15 p.m | Nonviolence Resistance Panel (Payne Leadership Development Center)

Hemmingson Auditorium

 

Thursday, January 22

12:15 - 1:15 p.m | Inclusive Excellence Reading Group: "The Purpose of Education"

Hemmingson 201

 

Friday, January 23

12-3 p.m | MLK Jr. Week Service Projects

Various

 

As we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King this Monday, let us always remember the question he posed during a speech in 1957 in Montgomery, Alabama where he said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'" Let each of us ask ourselves this question, knowing in our hearts that the gifts bestowed on us by God and our Gonzaga community will give us what we need to make the world a better place.

Sincerely yours,

Katia Passerini, Ph.D.

President