Community Celebrates MLK Day 2025
Sean Ricard / The Exonian
By MARYN BOWMAN, SAMAIYA JULY, AMERSON LIANG, CHLOE LIND, and MELIA THIBAULT
The third Monday of January marks one of the most historically significant federal holidays in American history: Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Phillips Exeter Academy certainly rose to the occasion, honoring the monumental legacy of Dr. King and the profound impact he had on American society.
PEA recognized the holiday by offering students opportunities to engage in workshops about racial equality and activism hosted by students, faculty, and activists alike. The celebration also featured keynote speaker sessions and UnSilenced, a carefully curated Goel performance of student-produced song, dance, rap, poetry, and film, among other art forms.
UnSilenced was one of this year’s most popular events, particularly on account of its student-led nature. All of the acts are performed by students with faculty help, and because of this, many students come to support their friends or just to appreciate their peers’ work.
When asked about UnSilenced’s goals, Liz Calandra, one of the faculty members on the UnSilenced planning committee said, “I hope that students take away from it that their words and their work and their art do have an impact. I didn’t talk to a person last year who came to UnSilenced and walked out saying they didn’t feel moved.”
She also noted the feedback she received. “Every person I talked to said something along the lines of ‘This is so important, I feel so moved, I feel like I learned things, and I see things in a different way now.’”
The process behind preparing for UnSilenced is also long and important. “How UnSilenced works is we usually have two student directors and two student assistant directors, and we send out a form to gauge interest in acts. This year, we had a lot of interest,” shared Calandra. “Next, we have a performers meeting before the break to work things out before we come back from break.”
She continued, “Once we get back from winter break, we have two longer rehearsals. And then on Friday, we do our tech rehearsals, which is in Goel with full tech lights and everything. Hopefully, we’ll run through the show twice, and then on Sunday morning, we run through some other things and then we finally do the show Sunday night.”
Because of all the work put in by both students and faculty, the show often ends up becoming one the most impactful aspects of the MLK celebrations to PEA students.
MLK workshops are another way for students at PEA to engage with MLK Day and learn the importance of racial equality in today’s society. Designed to reflect the four pillars of imagination, multiple truths, listening, and trust, the workshops aim to provide varied and impactful learning experiences for all.
Kevin Pajaro-Marinez, a faculty member on the workshops planning committee shared, “Our goal as a subcommittee is to have students and adults engage MLK Day with purpose. We also wanted for our workshop offerings to speak to the many ways people learn. Whether it’s an MLK 101 session that covers foundational knowledge about Dr. King’s Legacy and history or collaborative art-making, we hope there are learning experiences that appeal to everyone.”
Pajaro-Marinez also highlighted the meaningful connections formed during the preparation process for MLK Day, emphasizing the importance of community-building in honoring Dr. King’s legacy. “My favorite part about planning for MLK Day was connecting with all of the presenters. Part of Dr. King’s legacy was creating a beloved community, and I took the opportunity to be in a relationship with all the folks who are willing to share their expertise with our school.”
Upper Cindy Mumbo, a subcommittee member, spoke about the importance of celebrating MLK Day at PEA. “Over the last three years, I’ve seen how important it is to educate not just ourselves but others on MLK’s history and legacy,” she said. “I really see how much PEA is devoted to educating others on this topic, specifically people who aren’t as exposed to it.”
Senior Keon Osei, a student on the promotions subcommittee, reflected on the inspiration he drew from Dr. King’s work and the enduring themes. He shares, “I was also inspired by MLK. He has this one quote that says, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” That quote really stuck with me, and that is a reason why I decided to work on the MLK committee and to help promote MLK, his message, and teachings so that it’s not just confined to one day, but as a theme throughout the whole school year.”
The thoughtful planning and dedication of the MLK workshops committee at PEA reflects the collective commitment to honoring Dr. King’s legacy while also empowering students and faculty to embrace and advocate for the principles he fought for.