Celebrating the Life & Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Millbrook community gathered in the Chelsea Morrison Theater on the evening of Thursday, January 23, to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The campus event was a collaborative effort, with campus community members, including Break the Bubble, and alumni all coming together under the leadership of Reverend Cam Hardy to bring it to life.
Break the Bubble is one of Millbrook's newest community service offerings, launching this year with the goal of recognizing and promoting cultural diversity on campus. Some of the ways that the student group has worked towards their goal are by sharing the many unique stories of Millbrook's campus community, as well as world news and issues, and by organizing cultural events on campus, such as the recent Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., celebration.
The evening's program included poetry, song, reflection, and more. Thanks to the generosity of the Kunhardt family (Peter, Sr. P’01,’02,’04’05, Peter, Jr. '01, Teddy '04, and George '05) the community also enjoyed a special viewing of the Kunhardt's documentary film, King in the Wilderness. The film is an extraordinary portrait of Dr. King in the last eighteen months of his life and includes interviews with his closest friends and colleagues.
Some of the artistic highlights from the evening included a reading of the poem, Waging Peace, written by Judyth Hill and presented by performing arts students, a reading of an original poem by Precious Esielem '22, and the performance of a portion of an original composition by Instrumental Music Director Brian Coughlin. Mr. Coughlin's composition, titled Rex Tremendum, is a requiem for Dr. King and for the children who died in the Montgomery Baptist Church bombing. The Millbrook Singers and instrumental ensemble also performed thoughtful arrangements.
The Flagler Memorial Chapel, a gathering place for Millbrook students past and present, was also transformed into an especially appropriate setting for the week's activities by way of Gabby Kirikian '20 bringing the Gordon Parks exhibit, The Eye That Feels, to the Chapel as her Culminating Experience for Seniors (CES) project. Kirikian ‘20, who interned with The Gordon Parks Foundation, A Division of the Meserve-Kunhardt Foundation, for her MillbrookEngage summer internship, was encouraged by longtime arts faculty Bill Hardy to reflect on how she could continue her work with the foundation after her transformative summer internship experience. The exhibition in the Flagler Memorial Chapel is the result, with Kirikian '20 working with Millbrook alumnus and Gordon Parks Foundation Director Peter Kunhardt ‘01 and the foundation’s Assistant Director Amanda Smith to curate specific images and bring the exhibit to life. Millbrook is honored to display fifteen of Gordon Parks’ iconic photographs; the images are precious and powerful and will remain on exhibit in the Flagler Memorial Chapel through March 6.
Each year the Millbrook community comes together to reflect upon and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s, life and legacy; and while the gathering has become an annual tradition it is also unique each year as a result of the thoughtful and collaborative planning that makes it both deeply meaningful and possible.
"The arch of this year's service was that of hope and empowerment, but admittedly, it was heavy at times," said Reverend Cam Hardy. "We invited everyone to lean-in, to sometimes be uncomfortable. I'm proud of our community, our students in particular, for bringing their best selves to this event."
The celebration and everyone's commitment to participating in thoughtful and meaningful ways undoubtedly resulted in a community that is now stronger through shared learning and reflection.
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The campus event was a collaborative effort, with campus community members, including Break the Bubble, and alumni all coming together under the leadership of Reverend Cam Hardy to bring it to life.
Break the Bubble is one of Millbrook's newest community service offerings, launching this year with the goal of recognizing and promoting cultural diversity on campus. Some of the ways that the student group has worked towards their goal are by sharing the many unique stories of Millbrook's campus community, as well as world news and issues, and by organizing cultural events on campus, such as the recent Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., celebration.
The evening's program included poetry, song, reflection, and more. Thanks to the generosity of the Kunhardt family (Peter, Sr. P’01,’02,’04’05, Peter, Jr. '01, Teddy '04, and George '05) the community also enjoyed a special viewing of the Kunhardt's documentary film, King in the Wilderness. The film is an extraordinary portrait of Dr. King in the last eighteen months of his life and includes interviews with his closest friends and colleagues.
Some of the artistic highlights from the evening included a reading of the poem, Waging Peace, written by Judyth Hill and presented by performing arts students, a reading of an original poem by Precious Esielem '22, and the performance of a portion of an original composition by Instrumental Music Director Brian Coughlin. Mr. Coughlin's composition, titled Rex Tremendum, is a requiem for Dr. King and for the children who died in the Montgomery Baptist Church bombing. The Millbrook Singers and instrumental ensemble also performed thoughtful arrangements.
The Flagler Memorial Chapel, a gathering place for Millbrook students past and present, was also transformed into an especially appropriate setting for the week's activities by way of Gabby Kirikian '20 bringing the Gordon Parks exhibit, The Eye That Feels, to the Chapel as her Culminating Experience for Seniors (CES) project. Kirikian ‘20, who interned with The Gordon Parks Foundation, A Division of the Meserve-Kunhardt Foundation, for her MillbrookEngage summer internship, was encouraged by longtime arts faculty Bill Hardy to reflect on how she could continue her work with the foundation after her transformative summer internship experience. The exhibition in the Flagler Memorial Chapel is the result, with Kirikian '20 working with Millbrook alumnus and Gordon Parks Foundation Director Peter Kunhardt ‘01 and the foundation’s Assistant Director Amanda Smith to curate specific images and bring the exhibit to life. Millbrook is honored to display fifteen of Gordon Parks’ iconic photographs; the images are precious and powerful and will remain on exhibit in the Flagler Memorial Chapel through March 6.
Each year the Millbrook community comes together to reflect upon and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s, life and legacy; and while the gathering has become an annual tradition it is also unique each year as a result of the thoughtful and collaborative planning that makes it both deeply meaningful and possible.
"The arch of this year's service was that of hope and empowerment, but admittedly, it was heavy at times," said Reverend Cam Hardy. "We invited everyone to lean-in, to sometimes be uncomfortable. I'm proud of our community, our students in particular, for bringing their best selves to this event."
The celebration and everyone's commitment to participating in thoughtful and meaningful ways undoubtedly resulted in a community that is now stronger through shared learning and reflection.
