Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Valley State University, and Davenport University will host the 40th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration on January 19, 2026. The event will take place at Wealthy Theater in Grand Rapids. This marks forty years of collaboration among the three institutions to honor Dr. King and support community engagement in West Michigan.
The 2026 celebration will follow the King Center’s theme, ‘Mission Possible II: Building Community, Uniting a Nation the Nonviolent Way.’ The event will include a Community Conversation. The discussion will focus on applying Dr. King’s ideas to local issues, with an emphasis on collaboration, equity, and progress. Attendees will discuss ways to encourage dialogue and address divisions in the community.
Dr. Nygil Likely, vice president for people, culture, and equity at GRCC, said the event encourages community members to focus on service, justice, and peace. The panel will include speakers who will discuss Kingian Nonviolence as a method for addressing injustice and promoting change…