Reading event celebrates the legacy of MLK
The Daily Pennsylvanian
February 5, 2001
It doesn't have to be Martin Luther King's birthday for his legacy of fighting for equality to live on. Last week, the Kelly Writers House hosted "Readings of Consciousness," a program intended to celebrate King's life and the lives of others who have pursued social justice.
About 20 students, professors and community members attended the event, which was an opportunity for people to come together and share inspirational readings in an open-mic format.
"'Readings of Consciousness' was designed to provide a forum to reflect on people who have given inspiration to imagine the world as we wish it might be," said Kerry Sherin, director of the Writers House. "We often forget the larger purpose of our work and our lives and don't take time to think about the ethical beginnings of behavior."
Between moments of silent contemplation, attendees read the writings of notable activists such as Nikki Giovanni, Coretta Scott King and Jamaica Kincaid, while some shared selections from their own works with the audience.
Steve Halpern, a Philadelphia resident, read a poem from his unpublished book, "What Does the Word Freedom Mean?" His piece commemorated the South African marathon runner Josiah Thugwane, who struggled with discrimination in his pursuit of an Olympic gold medal.
Halpern said his poem "[draws] modest conclusions on historical events," hinting at the injustices that Thugwane experienced in pursuit of his goals.
Following the event, Halpern said, "I liked how people said what they felt. With literature, it can be very ambiguous and you can get many different interpretations."
College senior Blake Martin read a selection from his recent documentary project -- part of the new "Writing in the Documentary Tradition" course -- which examines the life of Ellis Sacks, a doctor at Student Health Services. Martin's piece is about the prejudice that homosexuals experience, offering humorous but cynical observations on coping with day-to-day discrimination.
A brief discussion followed the reading, where people shared their thoughts on what King would say if present at the event.
"[Readings of Consciousness] was ideal from the standpoint of extemporaneous expression," said Seymour Sloan, a resident of South Philadelphia. "I appreciated how it was right-off-the-cuff and natural."