Newsletter Articles

TAU Honors King with Community Service, March

On Monday, January 15th members of the Teaching Assistants Union honored the memory of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by participating in a city-wide day of service sponsored by the city of Kalamazoo. The day of service was followed by a rally from WMU’s Kanley Chapel to the Radisson downtown to the MLK, Jr. Memorial Park.

Working alongside other community activists and groups, TAU members served in three locations: the Kalamazoo Gospel Mission, the American Red Cross, and MRC Industries, Inc. Members did many things from improving organization of donated items for the Mission to phone banking for the American Red Cross. “It was a way for us to give a little back to the community that means so much to us,” said David Zwart, History Department TA. Others who participated said that it was a great way to honor King’s memory—by helping everyone.

A separate squad of TAU members joined the march organized by the Northside Ministerial Alliance and walked from Kanley Chapel to the Radisson, carrying signs to remind Kalamazoo about the importance of MLK, Jr. Day. “Civil demonstration is one of the greatest freedoms of this country and one Dr. King utilized in the fight for racial equality,” said Keith Russo, a TA from the English Department. That contingent met up with the volunteers at the Radisson and marched to MLK, Jr. Memorial Park, on Rose Street.

Many touching words were uttered and “We Shall Overcome” rang through the large crowd gathered in the snow and ice before civic leaders unveiled a new park sign that features a King family montage. The last action by the crowd was to let white and blue balloons fly, as Dr. J. Louis Felton, Pastor of the Galilee Baptist Church, said, “as a symbol of our faith and our eternal souls.” One organizer said it was the largest crowd that had attended in the last five years. The TAU members present were glad to be a part of that record and a part of a day that commemorates all of the achievements of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Members of the Teaching Assistants Union participated in both the Martin Luther King Jr., Day of Service and commemorative march.	The commemorative march ended at the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial park.