Living the Dream Partners Honor Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words and actions continue to leave a lasting impact upon generations. Although the pandemic is preventing an in-person event, at 1 p.m. on Monday, January 18, 2021, the Middlesex Community College Foundation and the Living the Dream Partners will sponsor “Where Do We Go From Here?” – a virtual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration.

Joining Middlesex in this year’s Community Planning Committee are UMass Lowell, the African Community Center of Lowell, the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell, Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association of Greater Lowell, Inc. (CMAA), Coalition for a Better Acre, Lowell Public Schools, Girls Inc. and the Middlesex Community College Foundation.

Dr. Francine Coston, Associate Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs at UMass Lowell, describes the purpose of the Living the Dream Partners as continuing the work started by Lura Smith, former MCC Assistant to the President.

“We come together around celebrating and acknowledging the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King,” Coston said. “That truly is the value of the event. When we put on this celebration, it’s about the community coming together, working together and trying our best to realize Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream.”

During the event, community members will perform a reading of Dr. King’s “Where Do We Go From Here” address – given at the 11th Annual Southern Christian Leadership Conference Convention on August 16, 1967 in Atlanta, Ga. Other highlights of the event include a dance performance to the song “Glory” by Donna Miceli Dance in Lawrence and an enactment of “Act Free,” one of the plays in a series entitled “Towards An Anti-Racist Tomorrow” by Lowell’s The Free Soil Arts Collective.

Reggie Nichols, MCC’s Assistant Director of Human Resources, will act as a special guest emcee for the event that will recognize two Living the Dream Award Recipients for their service to the community.

This year’s event is sponsored by Vision Maker sponsor Enterprise Bank and Dreamer sponsor George and Carol Duncan, among other generous donors. Sponsorship opportunities for the virtual event are made in support to students at both UMass Lowell and Middlesex Community College.

“The MLK Day event is an opportunity to celebrate the memory and continued dream of Dr. Martin Luther King,” said Sherri McCormack, Dean of Advancements. “We invite you to join us virtually by sponsoring our event to benefit students and help them realize their dream of a college education. We hope you will join us for this uplifting event!”

Visit https://livingthedreampartners.org/ for more information about the Living the Dream Partners, volunteer opportunities in the community, and sponsorship opportunities to go towards supporting student success.

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