MLK Jr. Symposium 2026: Caring for Communities & Mobilizing Justice

Hosted by the CCC, the Dr. Joseph L. White Lecture Series features a keynote speaker who honors Dr. White’s groundbreaking work and inspires us to envision new possibilities for equity, healing, and liberation in education and beyond

CCC invites you to join us for an engaging evening with UCI’s West African Dance Group and a powerful conversation with Dr. Hill, Dean of Counseling and Guided Pathways at Los Angeles City College, who is an educator and speaker with over 26 years of experience, dedicated to advancing educational justice, equity, and student success. Register now to secure your spot and enjoy light food, a photo booth, and limited-edition merchandise while supplies last.

TBD

Join us for an evening of artivism part of the MLK Jr. Symposium. Open Mic: Our Voices, Our Communities is a campus-wide open mic that invites students to share poetry, music, storytelling, and performance inspired by community care, collective responsibility, and justice. The evening will conclude with a spoken poetry performance by Los Angeles–based poet Matt Sedillo.

Whether you’re performing or just coming to listen, this space centers creativity, connection, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of activism. All are welcome and no experience needed, just an open heart and a willingness to listen, reflect, and build community together.

The Womxn's Center for Success is excited to be partnering with the Cross-Cultural Center for the annual MLK Jr. Symposium. Join us as we celebrate Black History Month with writer and activist Zahida Sherman for a creative writing workshop centered on identity, empowerment, and collective care.

Join us for a time of wellness and community (and sweet treats) as a part of this year's MLK Jr. Symposium! Community Care and Resilience is this month's Wellness for Social Justice program, where we'll be exploring how MLK Jr.'s message is alive through the communities we create and the strength we gain from them.

In this partnership between the Cross-Cultural Center and the LGBT Resource Center, all are welcome to learn about QTBIPOC and Black community efforts and their impact on how we organize and show up for each other.

We look forward to sharing space with you!

Join us for an evening to reflect on struggles with belonging and imposter syndrome, share stories, and learn tools for self-empowerment. We will connect individual experiences to deeper community histories, like overcoming colonial, cultural, and campus pressures. History and/or meaning of community/belonging, especially for Indigenous and Latine students in higher education.

This event centers immigrant advocacy through a shared exploration of the migration histories of Latinx and Pilipinx communities. Participants will engage in a presentation that highlights these histories while addressing and debunking common myths surrounding immigration. The program will then move into a guided discussion space, inviting reflection and the sharing of personal experiences through provided prompts. The event will conclude with a collective conversation on ways to celebrate, uplift, and support our communities, emphasizing the importance of knowing our rights and accessing available resources.

We invite students, staff, faculty, and campus partners to join the Office of Inclusive Excellence in honoring the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as we cultivate an environment of Awareness, Courage, and Empowerment. As part of UC Irvine’s 2026 MLK Jr. Symposium, Caring for Communities, Mobilizing for Justice, this annual luncheon serves as a space for reflection, inspiration, and community building to deepen their understanding of Dr. King’s vision for justice and equity. Through shared dialogue, storytelling, and collective learning, we aim to celebrate his enduring impact while encouraging our campus community to carry forward his principles in meaningful and transformative ways.

Developed in collaboration with departments across the university, the event will feature remarks from our Vice Chancellor for Inclusive Excellence, who will share insights on collective responsibility, community care, and mobilizing for justice at UCI. We invite you to join us for meaningful conversation, shared learning, and a renewed commitment to advancing equity and belonging on our campus and beyond.
*Lunch will be provided

Join us for the kickoff event of our MLK Jr. Symposium! Together, we’ll explore the important distinctions between hate speech and free speech, learn what determines protected versus unprotected expression, and collaborate to design our vision of meaningful, inclusive free-speech policies on campus.

Be part of a thoughtful conversation that empowers our community and strengthens our shared commitment to justice. All members of the campus community are welcome!

Light refreshments will be provided.

Looking for an opportunity to engage and/or do community service?

Join us in the annual UC Irvine Community Service & Leadership Fair! In honor of MLK Jr.'s legacy of service, the Community Service & Leadership is an event to connect you to community service-oriented organizations, while checking our leadership and involvement opportunities on-campus and off-campus. Meet the people behind these volunteer opportunities, paid positions, leadership positions, field study sites, and internships.

Additionally, enter into an opportunity drawing for Bose headphones 🎧 and a smart mini projector 📽️. Attendees can also receive free tote bags, boba, and stickers (while supplies last).

RSVP now and we hope to see you there!

This event is hosted by UCI Campus Organizations & Volunteer Programs, UCI College Corps, and Center for Student Leadership, in collaboration with School of Social Ecology Field Study Program, Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, Social Sciences Academic Resource Center, Office of Civic Engagement, the Cross-Cultural Center, and Division of Career Pathways.