Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy, “I Have a Dream,” continues to inspire UCF students and all Americans. It has been over 60 years since MLK stood on the Lincoln Memorial steps in Washington D.C. where he delivered his historical speech.
On January 17 in Downtown Orlando, approximately 50 UCF students made a powerful impact in the community. “Our students marched in the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday parade and was cheered on by galvanized chants from the crowd,” said Whitney Watkins, LEAD Scholars Academy.
The Knights were well represented, as the students exemplified strength, peace, harmony, and empowerment. Participants from the Multicultural Student Center, LEAD Scholars Academy, and several other organizations stood shoulder to shoulder and connected with the Orlando community. Students proudly marched in unity in honor of MLK’s message and it was a historic moment to be written into the UCF legacy.
Student Briana Swain had this to say, “It was a great experience and it was comforting to see all the UCF students out there alongside me, and others in the community who support MLK.”
MLK once asked, “What are you doing for others?” On January 19 in honor of MLK, 114 UCF students participated in the “MLK Day of Service” at Barker Park for a beautification project that included tree planting, scrubbing down dirty surfaces and laying out mulch. in honor of MLK. The event was coordinated by Annabelle Gonzales, civic engagement director for Volunteer UCF.