On Monday, Purdue University Northwest (PNW) honored the life and accomplishments of civil rights icon and champion Martin Luther King Jr. with its 27th annual MLK Community Celebration. Nicky Ali Jackson, associate professor of criminal justice at PNW, spoke of King’s legacy in her keynote presentation and the importance of individual efforts in the fight for racial equality.
The celebration focused on the theme “Social Justice Begins with Me,” encouraging community members to reflect inward on King’s mission, and energize themselves with a commitment to take action to better the community. PNW Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Kenneth C. Holford noted King’s lessons hold just as much power today as they did decades ago.
“In my capacity at the university, I’ve recently been reflecting on the teachings of Dr. King and the goals that he espoused,” said Holford. “First, the goal of education should be more than to provide knowledge- it should be to build both intelligence plus character. Secondly, we should refuse to be silent about the things that matter most to our community. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we should never lose our infinite hope.”
Jackson began her presentation by echoing Holford’s sentiments, referencing how the mission outlined in King’s famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” remains strikingly relevant. The letter, penned by King while jailed for peacefully protesting, explains the moral responsibility for citizens to take direct action for reform.
“Are those suffering from injustice expected to continue to be harmed, and to allow their children and future generations to be subjected to similar harms? The answer is simple, and the answer is ‘no,’” Jackson said. “They are tasked with using their voices and their bodies as a way to dissent. As a nation, we must stand beside them, listen to their voices and plead with them for change.”
Over the last decade, Jackson spent much of her time on the frontlines of the fight for criminal justice reform,. She created the Willie T. Donald Exoneration Advisory Coalition, which examines wrongful convictions, connects exonerees with resources and advocates for criminal justice reform in Indiana. During her talk, Jackson shared the stories of Stanley Wrice and Mark Clements, two Black men she met in 2016 who spent a combined time of nearly 60 years in prison on false convictions after being tortured by Chicago Police to extract false confessions.
“Many people believe that the wrongly convicted must’ve done something wrong to be incarcerated,” she said. “This is simply not true. Educate yourselves, read, speak to those of us working in this space. We can shed the myths of wrongful convictions and share facts. Once you understand the myths, you may want to join me in getting I.R.A.T.E.”
I.R.A.T.E means inform, reform, accountability, tolerance, and engage – an acronym created by Jackson as a guideline of principles to follow and bring about change.
“Be an active participant in change,” she said. “Martin Luther King Day is not a day to sit back and passively reflect, it is a day for action. It’s a day on, not a day off. Engage in research, write to your legislators and speak out against racial discrimination. Do something to be part of necessary change – we must come together as a nation to fight injustice and inequality.”
To learn more about Purdue University Northwest, visit www.pnw.edu, and visit their ongoing Race, Racism, Anti-Racism web series at www.pnw.edu/anti-racism.
