Even from her native Jamaica, Guilford's Lacey-Ann Reynolds ’23 needed no introduction to the life, message, and contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Lacey studied his words and deeds from elementary to high school and learned even more about the man when she moved to the U.S. four years ago.
Later this month Lacey-Ann, a Public Health major with a minor in Psychology, will offer her personal thoughts on King when she joins students from four other Triad-area schools on a panel as part of the 10th Annual Joint Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, a virtual event, on Jan. 26.
[Mark your calendar to attend the event.]
The celebration is a collaborative effort between Guilford and three other Greensboro schools — UNC Greensboro, North Carolina A&T, and Guilford Technical Community College.
“I’m a little bit excited and a little nervous,” Lacey says. “Dr. King means so much to so many people. It’s an honor to speak about him.”
The students will reflect on how the legacy of civil-rights leaders have informed their leadership and advocacy skills, and how their respective institutions and campus leaders can facilitate and support their work. “I hope (Dr. King’s) legacy at Guilford leads to a more diverse student body and an even more diverse faculty,” Lacey says.
Lacey isn’t the only Quaker who will be taking part in the celebration. Whitney Smith, who works in the Guilford College Office of Admission as a transfer-student counselor, will sing "Stand Up,” the lead single from the 2018 soundtrack to the biographical film Harriet about American abolitionist and political activist Harriet Tubman.
The celebration is typically held in person but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s event will be held online. For more accommodation requests or further information, please contact the UNCG Office of Intercultural Engagement at 336.334.5090.