ASG, Black Student Association Co-Host Annual Vigil to Remember Martin Luther King Jr.

The Associated Student Government and the Black Student Association at the University of Arkansas invite the campus and community to remember the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at its annual vigil at noon on Monday, Jan. 16, in the Arkansas Union Verizon Ballroom, on the fifth floor of the Arkansas Union. The vigil will occur at the end of the annual march and is part of a full day's events hosted by the Northwest Arkansas Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Council.

This year's vigil will include remarks from multiple speakers as well as a performance by the Inspirational Chorale. The speakers at the 2017 vigil include Charles Robinson, vice chancellor for student affairs; Trey Smith of the Northwest Arkansas MLK Dream Keepers; Dara Gaines, president of the Black Students Association; Kristen P. Smith, president of Purpose for Profound Pioneers Entertainment Group (PPEG); and Lionel Davis II, director of diversity for the Associated Student Government.

Charles Robinson is the University of Arkansas' vice chancellor for student affairs. As vice chancellor, Robinson is the chief steward of the division's core values of inclusion, service, inquiry, partnership, and excellence. Robinson has been honored with student and community awards such as the Lonnie R. Williams Bridging Excellence Award by the Black Students Association, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award by the Northwest Arkansas MLK Community Association, the Torchbearer Award by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., and the Honorary Alumni Award by the Black Alumni Society of the UA Alumni Association.

The NWA Dream Keepers are the youth organization of the Northwest Arkansas Martin Luther King Council. The Dream Keepers consist of youth from the community and are hosting a pair of community service programs on the morning of the vigil. Find out more information here.

The Black Students Association serves to promote the educational, moral, and cultural awareness among black students at the University of Arkansas. Their goal is to provide a forum from which scholarly decision are made that promote educational success of minorities in higher education.

Profound Pioneers Entertainment Group (PPEG) aims to provide a platform for artists to showcase their talent through participating in educational, social and cultural events organized by the group, the University of Arkansas, and the Northwest Arkansas Community.

The Inspirational Chorale, a vocal ensemble of University of Arkansas students under the direction of Jeffrey Murdock, works to keep the black sacred music tradition alive. The ensemble provides a forum where university students, regardless of ethnicity, can perform the various genres of the tradition. A clip of an Inspirational Chorale performance can be viewed at their website.

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Vigil is free and open to the public. There will be a coffee bar for those in attendance. Please join us to celebrate Dr. King and his legacy that continues today. The Associated Student Government at the University of Arkansas is a student-led organization that acts as an organized voice for all students and strives to effectively represent student interest.

Questions about ASG can be directed to 479-575-5205, asg@uark.edu or asg.uark.edu.