From Vision to Action: Honoring Dr. King's Dream at UW Tacoma

This Saturday, January 18, marks the 17th annual MLK Jr. Unity Breakfast hosted by the UW Tacoma Black Student Union. As we gather together, we recognize that Dr. King’s dream was not just about racial harmony, but it was also rooted in a broader vision of economic justice, educational equity, and human dignity for all people.

I’ve always been struck by how Dr. King’s relationship with higher education ran deep and personal. During his time at Morehouse College, he penned an opinion piece titled “The Purpose of Education” for the student newspaper. He wrote, “Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction.” He further emphasized, “We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education.”

Even at the height of the Civil Rights movement, Dr. King made it a priority to sometimes step away from the frontlines and stand behind podiums at convocations and commencements. He used these moments to speak directly to learning communities, inspiring and empowering the students and leaders who would go on to shape the future.

In addresses to universities across the nation, Dr. King delivered messages that spoke directly to their roles as catalysts for change. He carefully unpacked his philosophy of nonviolence and explained that it represented not passive acceptance, but active, peaceful resistance. The goal is to win understanding rather than humiliate opponents. In 1961, just 29 years before UW Tacoma was founded, Dr. King spoke at the University of Washington in Seattle, saying, “The student movements have done more to save the soul of the nation than anything I can think of.”

As we observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, January 20, we honor his legacy. But the day represents a call to action, not just commemoration. The day reminds us that “Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education.” And it challenges us to advance the work of transformation — both for ourselves and our communities — through knowledge, education, and the steadfast, nonviolent pursuit of a just and inclusive future for all.