NW students march for equality
ELIZABETH GOLDEN/DAILY FORUM
Northwest Missouri State University President John Jasinski, left, leads the fourth annual Peace March in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Denise Jasinski and members of the Minority Men’s Organization assisted with carrying the banner. Participants “peacefully marched” from the J.W. Jones Student Union Ballroom to the Nodaway County Courthouse.
Students, faculty and community members gathered on the Nodaway County Courthouse steps on Monday in remembrance of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Hosted by the Office of Intercultural Affairs and the Minority Men’s Organization at Northwest Missouri State University, the fourth-annual Peace March began in the J.W. Jones Student Union Ballroom and concluded at the courthouse.
More than 50 participants walked down Fourth Street, carrying signs that promote peace, equality, justice and unity, said Steve Bryant, director of Intercultural Affairs at Northwest.
“We are here to remember what it means to march and peacefully stand up for what’s right,” Bryant said. “We have a lot of different injustices that are still existing in our society today. Dr. King stood up for those peacefully and led the path that a lot of people didn’t think was right at the time because it was too edgy, too risky.”
Bryant said the Peace March helps encourage the entirety of the student body to come together to fight injustices.
“(Martin Luther King, Jr.) was wanting to make a difference,” Bryant said. “That’s what we do here at Northwest and within our own lives. We strive to make a difference for others.”
In addition to the Minority Men’s Organization, Northwest President John Jasinski and wife, Denise, led the march to the Courthouse.
“We can’t just celebrate a day or a week,” President Jasinski said. “It has to be on-going each and every day in all of our actions. As we think of social justice, economic justice, all the things Martin Luther King stood for, we have to show the importance of equality each and every day.”
The event concluded with a short presentation from the Minority Men’s Organization.
“In 2015, we stand in unity,” said Shawn Dixon, president of the Minority Men’s Organization and student representative on the Board of Regents. “We have the opportunity to represent the ideals Dr. King strove for. Although the struggles are different, the struggle for unity and equality in 2015 is still evident. We can still work together to move forward, not just with race relations but with all the differences we have as people.”
The Peace March is part of a weeklong celebration at Northwest, which began Sunday.
The week’s activities conclude on Thursday at 6 p.m. with a screening of Hidden Colors 3: The Rules of Racism.” The documentary explores the history of racism in the United States.
Cora Feick, 4, carries a sign as part of the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. peace march at Northwest Missouri State University. She is accompanied by her parents, James and Terra, and brother Austin.
Dominique Lee, a member of the Minority Men’s Organization at Northwest Missouri State University, carries signs as part of the fourth annual Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial Peace March.
Participants spread out across Fourth Street as part of the fourth annual Peace March, a celebration to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. The Minority Men’s Organization at Northwest Missouri State University passed out signs, and participants carried banners from the J.W. Jones Student Union to the Nodaway County Courthouse.
Members of the Minority Men’s Organization stand on the steps of the Nodaway County Courthouse as they present stories of struggles and adversity to the Northwest Missouri State University participants. This is part of the annual Peace March, in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.
