Western to Host MLK Breakfast, Day of Service in Partnership with WCC, Whatcom Volunteer Center on Jan. 20
Western Washington University will host a free breakfast for the campus and surrounding communities on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 20, from 9-10:30 a.m. in the Viking Commons, and also invites its students, faculty, and staff to engage in a day of community service in conjunction with the Volunteer Center of Whatcom County in honor of the legacy of Dr. King.
The keynote speaker for the free Community Breakfast will be Jesse Moore, 2005 WWU alumnus. Since graduating from Western, Jesse has served as political director for President Obama’s North Carolina campaign, White House speechwriter, associate director for Public Engagement for the Obama White House and vice president for Rock the Vote. As a student, Moore served two years as vice president for Diversity and president of Western’s Black Student Union. Now, as CEO and founder of Common Thread Strategies, Moore blends deep experience in bridge-building and reform advocacy to drive change as he helps organizations mobilize coalitions, tell their stories and achieve their goals.
This year marks the 25th celebration of the annual service event since Congress designated the MLK holiday as the first-ever National Day of Service. WWU students and employees can sign up for individual service projects in the community via the Volunteer Center of Whatcom County and through Western’s MLK day website at wwu.edu/mlk. On-campus service opportunities include the Outback Farm, WHOLE Food Pantry and Student Outreach Services; see the MLK Day website for more details.
Western’s MLK Day of Service sponsors include the Associated Students, AS Ethnic Student Center, AS Clubs, AS Outback Farm, AS Outdoor Center, AS Student Identity & Resource Centers, Career Services, Center for Community Learning, Compass 2 Campus, Karen W. Morse Institute for Leadership, LEADS, LGBTQ+ Western, National Society for Leadership and Success – WWWU Chapter, Professional Staff Organization, Student Outreach Services, University Residences, Western Success Scholars/Student Success Initiatives, WWU Faculty & Staff of Color, and the WWU LGBTQ Advisory Council.
For more information about MLK Day on Western’s campus, contact Joanne DeMark at (360) 650-4190; at Whatcom Community College, contact Kunbi Ajiboye at (360) 383-3305; and at the Volunteer Center of Whatcom County, contact Summer Starr at (360) 734-5121.
