Syracuse University leaders and invited speakers called for unity in response to racism and hate at SU during the university’s 35th annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Sunday.

The celebration featured performances and a keynote address by Rev. Raphael Warnock as part of this year’s theme, “A Living Legacy.” Warnock is a senior pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where King served as co-pastor of the church from 1960 until his assassination in 1968.

This is a critical moment where racism and bigotry have become rampant in America, Warnock said. Colleges and universities don’t exist in an academic vacuum, he said.

“It doesn’t matter if it shows up in a church or on a campus,” Warnock said. “It’s not enough to be non-racist — we have to be anti-racist. We have to stand up and say no, never again.”

At least 22 racist, anti-Semitic and bias-related incidents have occurred at or near SU since Nov. 7, sparking student protests.

The spate of bigotry on SU’s campus motivated the celebration’s theme this year, said Ashley Laird, SU junior and co-chair of the event, during a speech. The celebration’s theme intends to express the university’s commitment to creating an inclusive and accessible campus environment, she said.

Dominique’s Dance Creations, a Syracuse dance company, performed at the event. Lucy Messineo-Witt | Staff Photographer

“This commitment is especially important in times such as these as students and the entire community respond to hate, fear, racism, anti-Semitism and uncertainty,” Laird said.

Chancellor Kent Syverud referenced King’s 1965 visit to Syracuse in his greeting. King spoke in a Sims Hall dining center about inequality in education. SU is now in a place to reiterate King’s message, Syverud said.

The university community has been exposed to racism and anti-Semitism in the past few months, Syverud said. The community has taken action in the face of hate and fear, he said.

“We must all reaffirm the values of this university and this city and do the right thing for all of our students and all who live here,” Syverud said.

Warnock told The Daily Orange after the celebration that student activism has often elevated society to a “higher moral plain.” Student activism spurred many of the changes during the 1960s civil rights movement, he said.

“I think we ought to encourage that activism and expression, as long as it’s done nonviolently,” Warnock said. “More often than not, it has pushed us in the right direction.”

Universities have the power to expose students to important viewpoints, but students have to be willing to step out of their comfort zones, Warnock said. Syverud has previously said that SU needs to expose students to a wide range of ideological viewpoints to be considered a “real university.”

Syverud presented an Unsung Hero Award to Justine Hastings. Lucy Messineo-Witt | Staff Photographer

People are blind to certain social issues until they connect with people who have different lived experiences, Warnock said.

“That’s the beauty of an academic environment like this. When you are accustomed to privilege, parity and equity might feel like oppression,” Warnock said. “There has to be a shaking in the status quo. Privilege blinds you.”

America’s political leaders are to blame for much of the division in the country, Warnock said. Many of the country’s leaders seek to divide the nation because they lack vision and leadership skills, he said.

“You cannot lead where you’re not willing to go,” Warnock said.

Warnock encouraged students in particular to use their political and social power to fight back against divisiveness and hate. He urged the audience to register to vote where they attend school, and show up to the polls even if it rains or snows.

The celebration featured performances from the Black Celestial Choral Ensemble and SU’s 2020 MLK Community Choir. Dominique’s Dance Creations, a Syracuse dance company, also performed.

Syverud and Bea González, vice president for community engagement, presented five Unsung Hero Awards to students, faculty and community members who have made a positive difference in the lives of others, but are not widely recognized for their efforts.

Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel and co-chair of the celebration, also spoke. He encouraged the audience to love and support one another.

“In our celebration and in our deliberation, may we be reminded today and always, if we are close enough to debate, we are close enough to love,” Konkol said. “If we are close enough to put down, we are close enough to lift up.”

Published on January 26, 2020 at 11:38 pm

Contact Michael: msessa@syr.edu | @MichaelSessa3