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Ò»±¾µÀÎÞÂë Reflects on the Life, Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Keynote lecture presents esteemed community builder

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Peter Kerwin
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University Communications & Marketing

Majora Carter, a renowned urban revitalization strategist who has earned the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship and Peabody Award, will be the featured speaker at Ò»±¾µÀÎÞÂë's 2023 . The event will be held from 5 to 6:15 p.m., Jan. 25 in the Cohon University Center's Rangos Ballroom.

Majora Carter

Carter, author of the 2022 book "Reclaiming Your Community," is responsible for the creation of numerous sustainable economic development projects in her hometown of the South Bronx. Carter and her team have transformed struggling communities into thriving mixed-use neighborhoods. Her famous quote, "Nobody should have to move out of their neighborhood to live in a better one," is displayed on the walls of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture.

"I am delighted to welcome Majora Carter to Carnegie Mellon this month as our community celebrates and honors Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.," said Wanda Heading-Grant(opens in new window), vice provost for diversity, equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer. "Her work is deeply rooted in sustaining and uplifting communities, and Dr. King's legacy, particularly his idea of a beloved community, is one that has echoed throughout Ms. Carter's career. I look forward to coming together to learn about her activism, advocacy and ideas about how we can shape and support communities, including our own."

"We must be emboldened and charged by (Dr. King's) legacy to do our utmost to continue a path forward that ensures equity, fairness and access for all — a legacy that promotes love and mutual respect." — Wanda Heading-Grant

In the South Bronx, Carter's economic have included the Boogie Down Grind Caf�, featuring coffee, tea, local beers and wine, and celebrating hip-hop culture and the creative local community; Hunts Point Heights, a mixed-use building consisting of residential, commercial and cultural space; Bronxlandia, a former rail station that was transformed into an event and performance venue; and StartUp Box, a social venture that has increased opportunities to provide entry-level tech jobs for area residents.

Carter's work earned her a MacArthur Fellowship in 2005. Commonly known as the "Genius Grant," the MacArthur Fellowship is "an investment in a person's originality, insight and potential," and is also "based on a track record of significant accomplishments." In 2010, she received a Peabody Award, which honors excellence in radio broadcasting, for her radio talk show "The Promised Land with Host Majora Carter."

Carter was named to the 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs by Goldman Sachs and received the Liberty Medal for Lifetime Achievement by News Corp.

Martin Luther King Jr.

The Remembrance Celebration and Keynote Lecture is one of many scheduled events on campus that will pay tribute to Dr. King's legacy.

"I am excited to invite everyone to participate in community events across the university," Heading-Grant said. "I am so grateful for the time this holiday offers to reflect on what Dr. King's life and legacy mean to me and others. I believe we must be emboldened and charged by his legacy to do our utmost to continue a path forward that ensures equity, fairness and access for all — a legacy that promotes love and mutual respect. I invite everyone at Ò»±¾µÀÎÞÂë to do the same.

"I hope you will join us as we spend this time volunteering, learning and engaging around Dr. King's legacy and carrying forward his principles in our own community," she said.

Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Dr. King

Jan. 15-16
FANNIE: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hammer
August Wilson African American Cultural Center
Register for and

Jan. 17
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Birthday Celebration
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Jan. 20
Poetry Unplugged
August Wilson African American Cultural Center


Jan. 20-21
Pittsburgh Racial Justice Summit
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary


Jan. 25
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Remembrance Celebration and Keynote Lecture featuring Majora Carter

Jan. 27
MLK Interfaith Breakfast


Feb. 1
Step Afrika!
Byham Theater


Feb. 2
Diversity and the Future of Admissions


Feb. 7
MLK Book Readings with Lunch Discussions
"Black Roses" by Harold Green III


Feb. 8
Black Futures Summit Featured Speaker "An Evening with Harold Green"

Feb. 10
CAUSE Lecture with Destin Jenkins
The Bonds of Inequality: Debt and the Urban African American Experience


Feb. 24
CAUSE Lecture with Ashley D. Farmer
Somebody has to Pay: Queen Mother Audley Moore and the Modern Reparations Movement


March 2
MLK Book Readings with Lunch Discussions
"Year of the Tiger: An Activist's Life" by Alice Wong


March 12
Black Violin Experience Tour
Byham Theater


April 6
MLK Book Readings with Lunch Discussions
"Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World" by Anand Giridharadas

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