Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. left a legacy behind that has shaped the people many Americans have become. King re-defined freedom and what it means to be an American though his struggle for equality.
The school is celebrating the legacy of King by holding an assembly and other events on Jan. 26.
This year, guidance counselor Clifton Jones has the responsibility for organizing the event and making sure it runs smoothly.
Jones is the advisor for the African-American Student Alliance, which hosts the celebration.
“I’ve been doing this for about seven years,” said Jones. “I love it because there are very few times that the entire school is together for something.”
Given the racial and socioeconomic diversity of the school, Jones sees the assembly as a way for students and faculty alike to come together.
“Hopefully the assembly sparks some discussion about what the AASA does,” said Jones.
Although Dean of Students Adrian Mims is not usually involved in the organization of the celebration, the assembly means a lot to him. While growing up in racially tense South Carolina, most of his classmates skipped the Martin Luther King Jr. Day assembly.
“A lot of the students weren’t very appreciative or respectful of Dr. King or his dream, so I’m glad that Brookline is embracing his dream,” said Mims.
Mims also said that King is an American hero who needs to be learned about.
“I think that students should know as much about Dr. King as possible because sometimes people think he focused strictly on African Americans; however, he educated people
that we all need to come together,” Mims said.
This year’s assembly will involve many of the same elements of past years, including student speakers, faculty speakers and performances. Performances will include a choir directed by Mr. Driscoll, pieces from Carolyn Castellano’s jazz band and additional solo performances.
Senior Nate Mullin, who performs in the jazz band, likes performing at the MLK assembly because they play music that has meaning.
“We usually pick songs because they sound hip or are interesting,” Mullin said. “But we get to choose this song for a different reason.”
Evan Sternstein can be contacted at [email protected]
