We often think of movements
or even advocacy in general as
something visible. If we can’t see
it, we don’t feel it’s happening.
Oftentimes movements are visible
or at least have some tangible
components.
What
do
you
remember about the civil rights
movement? Probably Rosa Parks
refusing to be moved from her seat,
the Montgomery Bus Boycott and
Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have
a Dream” speech. We hardly ever
think of all the preparation and
invisible, deliberate actions that
fueled the movement. It was not
simply a series of random events.
When we hear “advocacy,” the
first things that come to mind are
usually sit-ins, picket signs, walks
and other forms of visible, tangible
protest. The University of Michigan
is especially known for these.
These forms are important but
not always accessible. They often
require someone in a position of
power or with the physical ability
to spearhead them. So what about
other forms of advocacy, what
about invisible protest?
You might be wondering how
any change could come to be with
invisible
advocacy.
Invisibility
doesn’t mean that no actions are
taken but maybe those actions
appear minuscule, yet they add
up. To me, it means choosing NOT
to do something and rather to do
something else. By that definition, it
is the other half of visible protest. It
is the decision to not support causes
we are against. The decision to not
use violence. The decision to not
give our time, energy or money to
corrupt businesses. These decisions
can be just as powerful as their
counterparts.
Especially,
when
they are given the same weight.
What I mean is, often times people
are called out for not being active
enough, for not attending the sit-
ins, walks or other protests. I don’t
think that’s fair. It doesn’t consider
When it comes to creating
change in the world, Hill
Harper,
an
award-winning
actor, best-selling author and
philanthropist, says “power is
the people.”
On Monday morning, Harper
delivered the annual Reverend
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Symposium
keynote
speech
at the University of Michigan.
Speaking to hundreds gathered
at Hill Auditorium, Harper
urged the audience to consider
this phrase when aiming to
make lasting change.
Harper
was
also
accompanied
by
Aisha
Fukushima, the founder of
RAPtivism
(Rap
Activism),
a hip-hop project that aims
to
amplify
global
efforts
for
freedom
and
justice.
Fukushima
reflected
upon
Harper’s message, as well as
the
symposium’s
theme
of
“The Fierce Urgency of Now”
in her opening and closing
performances, which focused
on current social justice issues
in Michigan and worldwide.
Organized
by
the
Rev.
Dr.
Martin
Luther
King,
Jr.
Symposium
Planning
Committee and the Office
of
Academic
Multicultural
Initiatives,
the
symposium
honors the life and legacy of
Martin Luther King Jr.
University President Mark
Schlissel said the symposium
intends to highlight the values
taught by Dr. King as well as the
University
of
Michigan
President Mark Schlissel was
honored Monday evening as one of
four recipients of the Let Freedom
Ring Award at the Cobo Center in
Detroit. The award was presented
by the Rainbow PUSH Automotive
Project, an organization founded
by civil rights activist Rev. Jesse
Jackson that seeks to promote
participation by people of color in
the economic growth of the global
automotive industry.
Rainbow
PUSH
selected
Schlissel as an honoree for making
college more affordable through
the implementation of the Go Blue
Guarantee, as well as his strategic
plan on diversity, equity and
inclusion.
Schlissel’s tenure has been
rocked by campus controversy on
race in particular, after an uptick
in racist incidents and resulting
student protest across campus.
Upon accepting his award,
Schlissel
also
related
the
University’s
work
to
improve
education and college affordability
to the work of Martin Luther
King Jr., highlighting the value of
inclusivity on campus and within
the
administration.
As
such,
Schlissel said he hopes the Go
Blue Guarantee offers more equal
opportunity to all.
“The University of Michigan is
proud to embrace both the quality
and morality of education that
Dr. King championed,” Schlissel
said. “We want all of Michigan’s
talented students to know that if
they work hard and study that a U
of M education is not out of reach
michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
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INDEX
Vol. CXXVII, No. 56
©2018 The Michigan Daily
N E WS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
O PI N I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
S U D O K U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
CL A S S I F I E DS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
S P O R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Invisible activism: The
labor driving movements
DARBY STIPE/Daily
DARBY STIPE/Daily
ALEXANDRIA POMPEI/Daily
King’s activism was unpopular throughout his
life. How will we continue his quest for justice?
Every year since 1986, we,
as a nation, have celebrated
Martin Luther King Jr. Day on
the third Monday of January.
Martin
Luther
King
Jr.
is
viewed as the architect of racial
harmony in this country, and
not many figures in our history
are revered more. Not long after
King’s death were legislatures
and prominent leaders of the
civil rights movement calling
for
a
national
holiday
to
commemorate his work and life.
However, the idea that King
should be celebrated for his
contributions to society was one
that was polarizing along racial
lines. After years of debate and
defeat, in 1983, President Ronald
Reagan signed a bill making
Martin Luther King Jr. Day a
national holiday. Now, students
get a day off from school, leaders
participate in acts of service
to marginalized communities
and social media is abuzz with
various quotes. Yet, many times
the full story of King is not told
or remembered, in favor of one
that is more convenient.
King’s teachings, like that
of Jesus (and other religious
figures), are easiest to digest
when we accept those that do
not make us uncomfortable,
while ignoring those that do.
As a society we have decided
that a whitewashed King is
his only palatable version. We
proclaim his words that evoke
positive emotion, such as this
one given in a sermon on loving
your enemies: “Darkness cannot
drive out darkness: Only light
can do that. Hate cannot drive
out hate: Only love can do
that.” Yet, it is still important
to celebrate the fact that King
called for resistance when it was
necessary, like in this particular
instance: “Our only hope today
lies in our ability to recapture
the revolutionary spirit and go
out into a sometimes hostile
world
declaring
eternal
hostility to poverty, racism, and
militarism.”
Remember that King was a
culture shifter. His mission was
to alter the status quo, a task
that is inherently disruptive. We
must remind ourselves that the
universally loved and admired
man that today stands over
Washington, D.C. in stone as a
national monument, was once
a controversial figure. Public
opinion polling suggests that
most Americans viewed King
as a menace to the social fabric.
However, he persisted with
his peaceful protest and civil
disobedience because it was just,
irrespective of popularity. In
the same light, modern protests
of injustice that are villainized
by President Trump, reported
negatively about in the media and
enjoy low approval amongst the
populous must continue. NFL
quarterback Colin Kaepernick
taking
a
knee
during
the
HALIMAT OLANIYAN
MiC Contributor
JULIA FORD
Daily Staff Reporter
JORDYN BAKER &
AMARA SHAIKH
Daily Staff Reporters
MICHAEL HEYWARD
MiC Columnist
Harper Hill delivers MLK
symposium keynote address
Advocacy contains more than instant gratification & protests
Big weekend
Thanks to a pair of last-
second free throws, the
Michigan basketball team
narrowly escaped at home.
» Page 1B
michigandaily.com
For more stories and coverage, visit
See LEGACY, Page 2A
See ADVOCACY, Page 2A
See KEYNOTE, Page 3A
See AWARD, Page 3A
Rest in power:
reflections on Dr.
King’s true legacy
Schlissel receives diversity
award admist year of tension
MIC