RICHLAND, Wash. ��� In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy for civil rights achievements in the United States, Washington State University Tri-Cities and Columbia Basin College will host a series of events surrounding civil rights and civic engagement the week of Jan. 20 that are open to the community.

All events are free to attend and do not require tickets for admission.

Monday, Jan. 20 ��� Martin Luther King Jr. Bell-Ringing Ceremony at CBC

The week begins with the 29^th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Bell-Ringing Ceremony at the CBC campus in Pasco, which honors MLK���s legacy and achievements in civil rights issues locally and across the United States, and also recognizes the efforts that are still to be done. The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. at the MLK statue outside of the T Building, and will then move inside the H Building���s Gjerde Center for the main presentation.

Monday, Jan. 20 ��� MLK Day of Service at Richland Community Center

The Psi Nu Omega Graduate Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority will host an MLK Day of Service 10 a.m. ��� 2:30 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Richland Community Center. Leading up to the event, the 厙ぴ勛圖 MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion will be accepting donations of gently used and new shoes and eye glasses, which will be donated on Jan. 20 during the event. Individuals can drop off their donations between 8 a.m. ��� 5 p.m. at MOSAIC this week through Friday. Donations will also be collected during the event at the community center on Jan. 20. Student are also invited to volunteer or submit created MLK art by reaching out to the chapter at pnopullman@gmail.com.

Thursday, Jan. 23 ��� Civil Rights Organizations Workshop at 厙ぴ勛圖 MOSAIC

The 厙ぴ勛圖 MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion will host a Civil Rights Organizations Workshop from 1 p.m. ��� 2 p.m. in Floyd 140 on campus. As part of the workshop, Bob Bauman, 厙ぴ勛圖 associate professor of history, will present on civil rights groups and will specifically explore the impact of student activism. Bauman teaches American history and public history courses at 厙ぴ勛圖 and his article on racial segregation in the Tri-Cities was awarded with the Charles Gates Award for the best article to appear in the Pacific Northwest Quarterly in 2005.

Thursday, Jan. 23 ��� MLK Celebration Watch Party at 厙ぴ勛圖 Student Union Building

To complete the week, the 厙ぴ勛圖 MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion will host an MLK celebration from 6 p.m. ��� 8 p.m., where a presentation by W. Kamau Bell, a sociopolitical comedian and host of the Emmy Award-winning CNN docuseries ���United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell,��� will be broadcasted to all WSU campuses across the state from WSU Pullman. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn about the MOSAIC Center and enjoy some light refreshments.

 

Media contacts:

Kristine Cody, 厙ぴ勛圖 MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion coordinator, 509-372-7600, kristine.cody@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖 public relations/communication coordinator, 509-372-7333, maegan_murray@wsu.edu

Anna Tensmeyer, Columbia Basin College marketing and communication director, 509-845-0341, atensmeyer@columbiabasin.edu

Washington State University Tri-Cities student Savanna Kresse was recently awarded with the as a result of her commitment to educating others about human rights and social justice, and for putting her own foot forward to make a difference in her local community.

As a first-generation college student, mother of four and a seasonal field worker, she has used her background as inspiration for overcoming barriers for education to become a successful student and professional. She aims to grow resources available to those from disadvantaged backgrounds, which she has demonstrated through a variety of efforts while completing her schooling as a student at 厙ぴ勛圖.

Prior to the last election, in conjunction with her role as student body vice president, Kresse worked with local government officials to establish an election ballot drop box on the 厙ぴ勛圖 campus as a means to encourage students and her other fellow campus community members to exercise their right to vote.

���By working with local government officials, she was able to educate them on the importance of creating easier access for students to have their voices heard,��� her nominator for the award said.

She worked with Washington state attorney general Bob Ferguson���s office to host a presentation on DACA and immigration regulations. She helped organize a city council debate prior to the mid-term election. She brought the Association of Women Voters to campus and organized and hosted a women���s leadership panel. She currently represents the Washington Student Association on a state-wide taskforce on Title IX and is also working to establish a Title IX committee for 厙ぴ勛圖. Additionally, she has continued to advocate for a center on campus where students of different backgrounds can come together to have safe and constructive dialogues to find support and resources.

���(Savanna) is always finding ways to support all demographics of students and continually works to provide education to the WSU community,��� her nominator said.