Martin Luther King Jr. day at Masters is a long-standing tradition, and though this year has thrown us many curveballs, MLK’s legacy will be honored this year as always. Britt Bennett, the author of the current bestseller The Vanishing Half, has been announced as the keynote speaker.

MLK day honors Martin Luther King Jr., and the people that worked alongside him, to create a peaceful, non-violent revolution that started the long road that gained Black people equal rights before the law in the United States. 

At Masters, MLK Day means something more. Eric Shear, an Upper School Science Teacher, Grade Dean, and Equity and Inclusion Coordinator said,“It’s really a day when folks in our community who are either folks of color, folks of identities that are marginalized or otherwise get a chance to share their stories. And it’s a day for our community to come together and think about issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. To really pause what we’re doing and take the necessary time to stop and think about these things, and move our community forward in a productive way.”

This year’s theme for MLK day is “Unheard Voices: Who are they and how can we amplify their stories?” This whole-day event to commemorate MLK’s life and the voices of those currently continuing his fight to be heard will take place on January 14. All performances this year will be recorded, should be no more than 10 minutes long, and should be sent in on the “MLK day 2021 Proposal” google form sent in Nicole Williams’, Program Coordinator/Asst. to Dean of Students & Director of Equity and Inclusion, email on Dec. 10th. 

 A live introduction to each video is recommended, including framing the context if necessary. Masters students and teachers can apply individually or with a club. It is important to attend as many of the meetings laid out in Ms. Williams’ email as possible if planning to present. All proposals must be submitted by January 5th. Direct any additional questions about appropriateness, time conflicts, etc. to Ms. Brown (karen.brown@mastersny.org) or Mr. Shear (eric.shear@mastersny.org).

In the past, students have presented on a variety of topics and mediums; no matter who you are or what you do, you can present. Various presentations in the past have been done through the spoken word, dance, and song.