Womack to headline Wooster’s MLK week

The College of Wooster’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration will take place throughout the week of Monday, Jan. 15 through Thursday, Jan. 18, centered around the theme “Reframing Justice.”

The college invites students, faculty, staff and the local community to engage in exploration and dialogue about issues that connect with King’s work and vision on matters relating to civil rights and social justice, activism, responsibility, and engagement.

The week will begin with the college’s Interfaith Prayer Brunch on Monday, Jan. 15 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Kittredge Hall. During the brunch Sandy Womack Jr. will present the week’s keynote address. All events are open to the public, and guests are encouraged to RSVP by Tuesday, Jan. 9.

Womack is the founder of The Ohio Education and Prevention Association LLC, which focuses exclusively on the challenges and opportunities urban school districts face. For over 17 years, OEPA has prepared staff and students to increase academic outcomes within urban areas by providing professional development.

A veteran educator in public schools, Womack specializes in urban school transformational change. Social activism has been the foundation of his career. He and his fraternity brothers were the Grow Your Own Program’s catalysts for the recognition of Martin L. King Jr. Day at University of Mount Union, utilizing campus sit-ins, economic boycotts and campus marches. These experiences led to his belief in the power of education and the need for African American students to have a positive sense of self.

Womack’s mission is to eradicate the academic achievement gaps in the current educational system and provide economic empowerment for urban students.

Womack is currently serving as the area superintendent for Region III in Columbus, a region containing 19 schools and over 8,500 students. He previously served as the director of curriculum and instruction in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District, director of principal leadership and development, and the leader of the Equity Task Force Committee during his tenure in Cleveland. He has been published in several national publications and can be heard on worldwide podcasts addressing race, education and equity issues.

Wooster’s MLK celebration also will include Justice Dialogues, held Tuesday, Jan. 16 and Thursday, Jan. 18 from 11 a.m. to noon in the Lowry Student Center, 1189 Beall Ave. These dialogues are formulated to engage the audiences in larger advocacy and justice conversations. Justice Dialogues aim to start or continue conversations that inspire action and advocacy within the wider Wooster community. Look for more information about the Justice Dialogues in the coming weeks at www.wooster.edu/mlk. Box lunches are available for attendees who RSVP prior to the event.

The week leading up to the college’s celebration, students, faculty and staff are invited to take part in a civic engagement project focused on supporting local communities.

Through Jan. 12 community members are welcome to drop off items such as toothbrushes, dish soap, shampoo, soap, trash bags, socks, gloves and more to the Center of Diversity and Inclusion Lounge on the second floor of the Lowry Student Center. Care packages will benefit a mental health organization, a shelter for domestic violence and abuse survivors, a free medical clinic, and a disability support group. Collaborate to assemble care packages on Jan. 18 from noon to 3 p.m.

These care packages will be distributed by community partners including National Alliance on Mental Illness of Wayne/Holmes County, OneEighty, Viola Startzman Clinic and Adaptive Sports Ohio.

For more information, to RSVP to the Interfaith Prayer Brunch or Justice Dialogues, or for a complete schedule of events, visit www.wooster.edu/mlk.