Centenary celebrates life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King during annual Dream Week, January 20-24
SHREVEPORT, LA — Centenary College students, faculty, and staff will celebrate the legacy and achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the College’s 2025 Dream Week. The 2025 Dream Week theme is “Building the Dream Together – Freedom, Justice, and Unity in Action.”
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” wrote Dr. Martin Luther King in his April 1963 Letter from a Birmingham Jail. “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."
Dr. Latoya Pierce, Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer at Centenary, highlighted these words as central to this year’s Dream Week theme: Building the Dream Together - Freedom, Justice, and Unity in Action.
“The excerpt from Dr. King's letter embodies the tenets of community, a collective perspective, and the shared work of dismantling racism,” said Pierce. “As one of the most prominent civil rights leaders, he understood the need for advocates, allies, and supporters working towards the common goals of unity and equality.”
Dream Week 2025 includes a schedule of educational and cultural events that are free and open to the public. The full schedule is available below and at centenary.edu/dreamweek.
Tuesday, January 21
Chapel Service
11:10 a.m.
Brown Chapel
Dr. Latoya Pierce, Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer, will deliver a message focusing on the 2025 Dream Week themes of freedom, justice, and unity.
Wednesday, January 22
Centenary BIPOC Stories
6:30 p.m.
Meadows Museum of Art
Centenary students and alumni will discuss a collection of research, interviews, and dialogues on race relevant to the College’s history. The facilitators are Mr. Chris Brown, director of the Centenary College Archives, and Dr. Jama Grove, assistant professor of history at Centenary.
Thursday, January 23
Dream Week Keynote Speaker – Rev. Emily Carroll
11:10 a.m.
Whited Room
Rev. Carroll, pastor at Shady Grove United Methodist Church in Mansfield, Louisiana, was invited to attend the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai. Rev. Carroll’s address will focus on environmental awareness and environmental justice, especially in disenfranchised communities of color. The first portion of Rev. Carroll’s talk will be an ecumenical (faith-based) message that reflects her work as a pastor. The second portion will be an interview/Q&A with Dr. Latoya Pierce.
Friday, January 24
Day of Service
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Centenary students will have an opportunity to volunteer their time and efforts at Common Ground, a community center in Shreveport’s Cedar Grove neighborhood. Students should contact Director of Student Involvement Ricki Rebollar (rrebollarbecerra@centenary.edu) for information about the volunteer project.