{"id":6351,"date":"2026-01-13T18:49:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T18:49:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/?p=6351"},"modified":"2026-01-13T20:00:50","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T20:00:50","slug":"honoring-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-building-community-uniting-a-nation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/2026\/01\/13\/honoring-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-building-community-uniting-a-nation\/","title":{"rendered":"Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Building Community, Uniting a Nation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-6366 \" src=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/01\/MLK-Jr-DC-monument-450x300.jpeg\" alt=\"MLK Jr. stone monument busk with blue sky\" width=\"641\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/01\/MLK-Jr-DC-monument-450x300.jpeg 450w, https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/01\/MLK-Jr-DC-monument-900x600.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/01\/MLK-Jr-DC-monument-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/01\/MLK-Jr-DC-monument-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/01\/MLK-Jr-DC-monument-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/01\/MLK-Jr-DC-monument-375x250.jpeg 375w, https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/01\/MLK-Jr-DC-monument-750x500.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/01\/MLK-Jr-DC-monument-1140x760.jpeg 1140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 641px) 100vw, 641px\" \/><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/2026\/01\/13\/honoring-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-building-community-uniting-a-nation\/#Celebrate_Martin_Luther_King_Jrs_life_and_legacy_on_January_19_2026\" >Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.&#8217;s life and legacy on January 19, 2026.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/2026\/01\/13\/honoring-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-building-community-uniting-a-nation\/#UW_community_events\" >UW &amp; community events<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/2026\/01\/13\/honoring-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-building-community-uniting-a-nation\/#Key_events_activities\" >Key events &amp; activities<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/2026\/01\/13\/honoring-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-building-community-uniting-a-nation\/#How_will_you_honor_Dr_Kings_legacy_this_year\" >How will you honor Dr. King\u2019s legacy this year?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Celebrate_Martin_Luther_King_Jrs_life_and_legacy_on_January_19_2026\"><\/span>Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.&#8217;s life and legacy on January 19, 2026.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This month, communities across the nation will honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. For more than 40 years, MLK Day has stood as a federal holiday &#8211; the only one dedicated to a Black American &#8211; celebrating Dr. King\u2019s birthday and reaffirming the pursuit of equal rights for all.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dr. King championed nonviolent resistance as a powerful tool to confront injustice and dismantle racial and social oppression. In 1964, just one year after his iconic \u201cI Have a Dream\u201d speech at the Lincoln Memorial, he became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize at that time &#8211; a testament to his unwavering commitment to peace and equality.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:0,&quot;335551620&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:210,&quot;335559739&quot;:210,&quot;335559740&quot;:300}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This year, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thekingcenter.org\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">the King Center<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u2019s strategic theme is <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Mission Possible II: Building Community, Uniting a Nation the Nonviolent Way.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> This vision drives their programs, inspiring outreach and reinforcing the goal of creating the Beloved Community &#8211; a world where injustice ends, compassion replaces violence and love becomes the guiding force.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:0,&quot;335551620&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:210,&quot;335559739&quot;:210,&quot;335559740&quot;:300}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Each January, Martin Luther King Jr. Day invites us to reconnect with values that matter deeply: equity, dignity and the belief that change is possible when we act together. As we celebrate Dr. King\u2019s life and leadership on <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">January 19<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, let\u2019s carry his vision forward through service, generosity and meaningful community connection.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:0,&quot;335551620&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:210,&quot;335559739&quot;:210,&quot;335559740&quot;:300}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"UW_community_events\"><\/span>UW &amp; community events<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You are encouraged to observe the MLK Day holiday in a personally meaningful way.<\/p>\n<p>MLK Day 2026 in Seattle features events on the actual day, Monday, January 19, 2026, and surrounding days, including the Northwest African American Museum&#8217;s celebration, Seattle Parks&#8217; youth-led march on January 17, and the annual King County Celebration on January 15, with many events focused on service, justice, and community reflection, plus a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&amp;hs=rro9&amp;sca_esv=e9a6b6505834f0c4&amp;sxsrf=ANbL-n5yQIAUAV93X44807uvlhwHl9A3xQ%3A1768248214998&amp;q=Discover+Pass+free+day&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi2qu_j5oaSAxVTEDQIHdpaHzYQgK4QegQIARAD&amp;biw=1869&amp;bih=946&amp;dpr=1&amp;aic=0&amp;mstk=AUtExfDE16qeczoGgEq0NfwYpRl_webmJTLOSz_SGHvqouykx-sVbo-hTeV33PI_eAMZKmuyj0Iu_xeEmsxFyC1C5uHV98tgTL0Jl8lc3YSCFHAm5fbzyBrDLoRkVkSf7wDQXXaLQSN1sgHLvKo49mgSe_-aXwjgS83fqjYR39djWC5d_ghRRqg1JyUggSnDzpjiN71Lb51tl2kjGxKCHUxYQe1olI0q-hdmdrBCG35AeQocDXHFG2DWnWznAvso58GFABIPHkuQxegx2-gC6HBmZ_NT&amp;csui=3\">Discover Pass free day<\/a> for state parks.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_events_activities\"><\/span>Key events &amp; activities<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/equity.uwmedicine.org\/event\/dr-martin-luther-king-jr-tribute-awards\/\">UW Medicine &amp; UW Health Sciences \u2013 Mission Possible: Building Community \u2013 Together We Rise<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Join us on Thursday, January 15, 2026 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Hogness Auditorium to celebrate Dr. King Jr.\u2019s legacy. A reception will follow in the Magnusson Health Sciences Lobby.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.seattlemlkcoalition.org\/mlk-day\">MLK Day Rally and March<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 These events are presented by the Seattle Martin Luther King Jr. Organizing Coalition.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/kingcounty.gov\/en\/dept\/executive\/governance-leadership\/equity-social-justice\/office-of-equity-racial-social-justice\/martin-luther-king\/annual-celebration\">King County Annual Celebration<\/a>:<\/strong> A formal event honoring Dr. King on <strong>Thursday, January 15, 2026<\/strong>, at Seattle University with the theme &#8220;mentorship&#8221;.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/parkways.seattle.gov\/2025\/12\/11\/2026-mlk-day-march-celebration-on-january-17\/\">Seattle Parks MLK Day March &amp; Celebration<\/a>:<\/strong> A youth-led march starting at MLK Jr. Memorial Park on <strong>Saturday, January 17, 2026<\/strong>, leading to the Rainier Community Center.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&amp;hs=rro9&amp;sca_esv=e9a6b6505834f0c4&amp;sxsrf=ANbL-n5yQIAUAV93X44807uvlhwHl9A3xQ%3A1768248214998&amp;q=MLK+Day+of+Service&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi2qu_j5oaSAxVTEDQIHdpaHzYQgK4QegQIAxAF&amp;biw=1869&amp;bih=946&amp;dpr=1&amp;aic=0&amp;mstk=AUtExfDE16qeczoGgEq0NfwYpRl_webmJTLOSz_SGHvqouykx-sVbo-hTeV33PI_eAMZKmuyj0Iu_xeEmsxFyC1C5uHV98tgTL0Jl8lc3YSCFHAm5fbzyBrDLoRkVkSf7wDQXXaLQSN1sgHLvKo49mgSe_-aXwjgS83fqjYR39djWC5d_ghRRqg1JyUggSnDzpjiN71Lb51tl2kjGxKCHUxYQe1olI0q-hdmdrBCG35AeQocDXHFG2DWnWznAvso58GFABIPHkuQxegx2-gC6HBmZ_NT&amp;csui=3\">MLK Day of Service<\/a> (Jan 19):<\/strong> Opportunities to volunteer with organizations like Serve Washington and AmeriCorps.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tacoma.uw.edu\/mlk\">Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfast (Jan 19):<\/a><\/strong> Honoring the Legacy, Living the Dream &#8211; UW Tacoma&#8217;s Black Student Union presents the 18th annual unity breakfast with a keynote address from Erika Evans, UW Tacoma alumni, Tacoma native and newly-elected Seattle City Attorney.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.naamnw.org\/king-day\">Northwest African American Museum (NAAM)<\/a>:<\/strong> Hosting their annual celebration with family-friendly activities, including a free children&#8217;s book giveaway, on Monday, January 19, 2026, exploring courage and resilience.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.naamnw.org\/king-day\">Annual MLK Mass<\/a>:<\/strong> A service at the Chapel of St. Ignatius at Seattle University on Monday, January 19, 2026.<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uwkc.org\/volunteer\/mlk-day-of-service\/\">United Way of King County<\/a><\/strong>: For volunteer service opportunities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_will_you_honor_Dr_Kings_legacy_this_year\"><\/span>How will you honor Dr. King\u2019s legacy this year?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This January, we invite you to turn that question into action. Consider joining a local service event, supporting organizations that advance equity, or starting conversations that build bridges. Every effort\u2014big or small\u2014brings us closer to the Beloved Community he envisioned. Together, we can make his dream a reality\u2014one step, one act, one community at a time.<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Supporting a nonprofit in your community or on campus is simple and meaningful.\u00a0<span data-contrast=\"auto\">You can <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/give.wa.gov\/search\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">make a one-time gift or set up an ongoing payroll deduction<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> through the <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">UW Combined Fund Drive (UWCFD)<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> as a way to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.\u2019s legacy. Search by charity name or by the type of work they do to find a cause that resonates with you.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:0,&quot;335551620&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Can\u2019t find the organization you\u2019re looking for? We\u2019re here to help! Email us at <a href=\"mailto:uwcfd@uw.edu\"><strong>uwcfd@uw.edu<\/strong><\/a> and we\u2019ll reach out to invite them to join the CFD.<\/p>\n<p>Your generosity and engagement make a difference. Let\u2019s honor Dr. King not just in words, but through actions that uplift and unite.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.&#8217;s life and legacy on January 19, 2026. This month, communities across the nation will honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. For more than 40 years, MLK Day has stood as a federal holiday &#8211; the only one dedicated to a Black American &#8211; celebrating Dr. King\u2019s birthday and reaffirming the pursuit of equal rights for all.\u00a0 Dr. King championed nonviolent resistance as a powerful tool to confront injustice and dismantle&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":3526,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","slim_seo":{"title":"Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Building Community, Uniting a Nation - UW Combined Fund Drive","description":"Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life and legacy on January 19, 2026. This month, communities across the nation will honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6351","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"modified_by":"ategel","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6351","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/60"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6351"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6351\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6364,"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6351\/revisions\/6364"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6351"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6351"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/cfd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6351"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}