Students, Faculty Honor MLK with Vigil

In the midst of a discussion about future plans for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, English instructor and faculty member of the MLK Committee Mercy Carbonell asked, “Do we really need to have a Martin Luther King Jr. Day here?” Instantly, nearly every student and faculty present said in unison, “Yes.”

The Exeter community gathered in Phillips Church on April 3 to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was assassinated on April 3, 1968.  Members of the Martin Luther King Jr. Committee shared King’s works, original pieces and songs to commemorate the civil rights leader. Following the service, attendees walked together towards the library with candles. The evening concluded with discussion in hopes of improving the Academy’s annual MLK Day.

For many years, the committee wanted to extend their vision and work beyond the one day in January when most of the nation comes together to honor King. “That day in January has particular resonance in our community and we know there is a strong allegiance to keeping it going,” Carbonell said, sharing that the day is also to honor those “who worked so hard to bring to the campus some incredible leaders and activists and speakers on civil rights, King, social justice.”

“We want to hear from as many folks as possible: not only what they feel we could do better but also what they hope for in the future.”

The memorial opened with history instructor and MLK Committee faculty member, Erik Wade, who shared a portion of the history and legacy that Martin Luther King Jr. left on the United States. Lower Charlotte Polk sang “Blackbird” by The Beatles. Upper Jesus Rivera recited “Rites of Passage” by Audre Lorde.

Uppers Nada Zohayr and Sally Ma and lower Jaynee Ronquillo-Anaya read Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Eulogy for the Young Victims”—a speech for the lives lost in the 1963 Sixteenth Street Baptist Church Bombing. Upper Genesis Contreras recited “For My People” by Margaret Walker. The service concluded with a video of King’s final speech, “I’ve Been To The Mountaintop.”

One of the highlights of the service was upper Livaslou Tanjong’s original poem entitled “Two Cents & Magic Black Woman.” Tanjong spoke about how she became aware of the problems that she faces as a black woman and how she’s grown as the years go by.

Upper and MLK Committee member Julia Friberg found Tanjong’s piece particularly “powerful and admirable” because it was her own writing. “[She] spoke with such great passion. This event interpreting Dr. King’s legacy was unique to Exeter in the idea that this shows the true dedication of these Exonians,” Friberg said.

Prep Tara Weil echoed Friberg’s sentiments, and emphasized that Tanjong’s poem was very personal while connecting the issues that the group discussed in the library. “It gave a real story to a broad term like racism or sexism and showed how both of them affect her life,” Weil said.

Prep Wynter Tracey also admired Tanjong’s “unique style of writing.” “I loved the perspective she offered in her performance,” Tracey said.

Reverend Robert Thompson shared his own reflection, beginning all the way to when he learned that John F. Kennedy was assassinated to the changes he’s witnessed at Exeter since the year he first applied. Weil also enjoyed Thompson’s story because she found his story relatable. “When I first came to Exeter, I also felt like I was more of an idealist and more hopeful,” she said.

Carbonell admired Thompson’s reading because it spoke to the committee’s goal of reaching more people on campus outside of the annual MLK Day. “Reverend Thompson spoke eloquently about this tonight: the ideal; the creation of a beloved community. We will need more solidarity from the White Allies among us in order to create that beloved community,” she said.

After the 2016 Annual MLK Day, the committee received and listened to substantial feedback concerning the program for the day. “We decided we wanted to do what the late Marcia Carlisle had done a number of years ago when she was leading the committee,” Carbonell explained.

The committee included community members such as staff, faculty and students into conversation about what certain hopes are for the annual MLK Day and other possibilities throughout the school year. “We want to hear from as many folks as possible: not only what they feel we could do better but also what they hope for in the future,” Carbonell said.

Carbonell shared hopes for continuing this as an annual event and that more members of the Exeter community will join in the future. “Fly-In Families” were present. Carbonell said this was “completely coincidental and a rather wonderful convergence in some ways.” However, Carbonell expressed disappointment of how few members of the school were present. “If [the families] had not been present, the church may have been fairly empty. I thank those on the faculty and in the student body who came to hear their teachers and leaders and peers speak and sing,” she said.

At the meeting, students suggested that although the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. is shared across campus each January, many admitted to knowing very little about MLK and even less about Malcolm X. Carbonell said that attending events such as Sunday’s vigil will “honor those moments when leaders and people in our lives have been taken from us too early.”

Although students can always email suggestions and ideas to Carbonell and Wade, the most effective method of impacting MLK Day is to join the committee itself. The group meets Thursdays from 6 to 7 p.m. in Carbonell’s classroom.