Guests attending the dinner in the Tolles Pavilion were greeted by this year’s cohort of DMC fellows and staff. The event, organized by DMC director Koboul Mansour, featured community members who gave speeches regarding King’s impact.
Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Sean Bennett offered opening remarks and emceed the event. In reflection of national administrative rollbacks on DEI, he remarked that “Hamilton is well,” in line with the community-building theme of this year’s event.
“I believe in my friends and colleagues at Hamilton, and that love and compassion matter,” Bennett said.
After Bennett’s opening address, attendees enjoyed a buffet-style meal consisting of Southern dishes. As guests returned to their seats, they found slips of paper prompting conversation starters, such as “Dr. King emphasized the value of compassion, love, and equality. What are some ways you practice these values?”
“Find your passion and do your work.”
Once guests finished their meals, the program resumed with speeches from professors Vincent Odamtten and Penny Yee. Both reflected on the impact of Dr. King’s teachings. Odamtten noted that he has been teaching at Hamilton for 40 years, one year longer than the duration of King’s lifetime. King’s many achievements before his untimely death inspire Odamtten, who asked the Hamilton community to remember King’s legacy.
“I would like you to remember there is the promise of spring and summer to remember the hope of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life,” Odamtten said.
During her speech, Yee recounted her experience as a first-generation Chinese-American and the challenges she and her family experienced. Yee shared the inspiring story of her father’s immigration to the United States and how his bravery and sacrifice led to her blazing trails in her adult life. Yee has held a faculty position at Hamilton for over 30 years, at the time being one of the few Asian American female professors. Now, Yee is proudly among the 23.6% faculty of color at Hamilton, a statistic she hopes will grow in future generations.
“Do not let perceived distance deter you from achieving your goals,” Yee remarked.
President Steven Tepper, along with Tinashe Manguwa ’25, led an improvised speech where they actively reflected on the lasting impact MLK has had on formative experiences in their lifetimes. Ushering in his second semester as president, Tepper touched upon the hope King has inspired through his teachings and as a leader of the civil rights movement. Taking King’s message to heart, Tepper aspires to continue to foster and inspire that sentiment of hope in the Hamilton community.
“Here at Hamilton, we try to carry that hope forward,” Tepper said.
The closing speech was given by ALEX Advisor Kevin Alexander ’13, who recounted an early encounter with King’s teaching when he was a student at Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School in Utica, N.Y. Alexander provided a light-hearted anecdote describing his recitation of the famous “I Have a Dream” speech given by King in 1963. From his recitation of this speech, Alexander learned about the value of the beloved community and urged guests to continue the work to create such a community at Hamilton.
“Find your passion and do your work,” Alexander urged.
