PRESS RELEASE
Human Rights Advocates of Coos County
Bittin Duggan, CHW, MA, BFA
HRACC Member 541-217-4095 HumanRightsAdvocatesCC@gmail.com
“IT STARTS WITH ME”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebrations 2022
In-person & virtual events celebrating our community and learning from others.
Student art exhibit at Pony Village Mall
Sat, Jan. 15 – Sun, Jan 23. 10 am – 8 pm, M-Sat., Sun: 10 am – 6pm.
Virtual links from January 7 – February 13, 2022.
To celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s Birthday this year, the Human Rights Advocates of Coos County (HRACC), is exhibiting students’ artwork, honoring a community member with the Lilah Bidwell Human Dignity Award and promoting virtual MLK events. Inspired by this years’ theme of the King Center: “IT STARTS WITH ME: shifting priorities to create the beloved community”, we award the 2022 Lilah Bidwell Human Dignity Award to someone who was a part of Lilah’s beloved community at Marshfield High School for over 10 years. Pam Connelly is not only a fourth generation resident of Coos Bay, she is an effective advocate for addiction recovery, support for families, and educator for students, professionals and others around overdose prevention. We will honor her at a private ceremony this year due to pandemic constraints. Community members can honor her by making donations to Need4Narcan through their FB page.
The annual student art exhibit in the Pony Village Mall hallway (wear a mask at all times) will feature artwork made by Coos County students inspired by MLK’s legacy of peace and non-violence. Virtual links at https://www.facebook.com/humanrightsadvocatesofcooscounty showcase events, authors, youth book readings & more.
As the momentum of individual and collective social justice actions for humanity and the environment continue to gain traction in the world, please explore these virtual celebrations to appreciate how Dr. King’s legacy inspires people across our county in incredible ways.
Virtual Events begin on Friday, Jan. 7 and end on Wednesday, Feb. 16:
The King Center located in Georgia: https://thekingcenter.org/;
The University of Michigan is sharing these events: https://oami.umich.edu/um-mlk-symposium/events/;
The Atlanta History Museum link: https://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/event/mlk-day-2022/;
The Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN will be leading a free virtual forum. Registration is required to attend: https://www.lipscomb.edu/events/martin-luther-king-jr-day-virtual-forum;
Georgia Tech is showcasing: https://diversity.gatech.edu/2022-mlk-celebration-and-commemorative-event-series;
The MLK Commission in Knoxville, TN shares: http://www.mlkknoxville.com/2022-mlk-events/;
Eventbrites’ events lists many more links to other celebration events happening across the US: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2022-martin-luther-king-jr-virtual-kick-off-tickets-214759691017