The Martin Luther King, Jr. Symposium at the University of California, Irvine celebrates the life and legacy of a man who brought hope and healing to America. Through programs initiated by the Cross-Cultural Center and its partners, the community recognizes the values of courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, humility and service that radiantly define Dr. King’s character and leadership. During the week, we commemorate universal acceptance, forgiveness and the nonviolent resistance that empowered his revolutionary spirit.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Symposium honors the life and contributions of America’s greatest champion of racial justice and equality, the leader who not only dreamed of a color-blind society, but who also lead a movement that achieved historic, social reforms. The UCI community is called upon not merely to honor, but to celebrate the values of equality, tolerance and interracial sister and brotherhood he so compellingly expressed in his great dream for America.
It is a week of interracial and intercultural cooperation and sharing. No other time of the year brings so many peoples from different cultural backgrounds together in such a vibrant spirit of brother and sisterhood. No matter your racial or ethnic background, you are part of the great dream Martin Luther King, Jr. had for America. We commemorate the ecumenical leader and visionary who embraced the unity of all faiths in love and truth. And though we take patriotic pride that Dr. King was an American, on this holiday we also commemorate the global leader who inspired nonviolent liberation movements around the world. Indeed, on this day, we take part in commemorating Dr King along with more than 100 nations. |
| Traditionally, the MLK Jr. Symposium is highlighted by the Dr. Joseph White Lecture, which is named after the pioneer in the field of Black psychology and who is affectionately referred to as the “Godfather” of Black psychology by his students, mentees, and younger colleagues. For the 44 years, Dr. White enjoyed a distinguished career in the field of psychology and mental health as a teacher, mentor, administrator, clinical supervisor, writer, consultant, and practicing psychologist. He is currently Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of California, Irvine, where he spent most of his career as a teacher, supervising psychologist, mentor, and Director of ethnic studies and cross-cultural programs. His seminal article in Ebony magazine in 1970, “Toward a Black Psychology,” was instrumental in beginning the modern era of African-American and ethnic psychology. He has served as a supervising psychologist and staff affiliate psychologist to five hospitals and three clinical practices in Southern California. He has worked as a consultant with school districts, universities, private organizations, drug prevention programs, and government agencies.
Since 1988, the Cross-Cultural Center holds the symposium on the values of nonviolence, including unconditional love, tolerance, forgiveness and reconciliation, which are so desperately needed to unify America. Help us by taking part in a series if programs that provide a unique opportunity to teach young people to fight evil, and to get in the habit of asking themselves, "what can I do?” to promote equality and social justice. |