WINTER PARK, Fla. — Most of the parades, ceremonies and service projects to commemorate the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday may be over, but at Rollins College, an event Monday night was just the beginning of a week of activities to commemorate the civil rights leader's legacy.
- Judge Victoria Pratt speaks at opening event of MLK Jr. Week at Rollins
- She reminded students of King's message to treat everyone with dignity
- Student says he hopes to continue King's message both in word and deed
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Judge Victoria Pratt, a renowned criminal justice reform activist, said she helped reform an the criminal justice system in New Jersey by treating defendants with respect.
"If people are treated with dignity and respect and perceive their process is fair, it not only increases compliance with court orders and increases the public's trust in the court system, but it increases people's compliance with the laws," Pratt said at Monday night's event.
Pratt said King pushed for giving everyone a chance to contribute to society — even those who have made mistakes.
"What we really need to be doing in line with Dr. King's dream is addressing the underlying cause," Pratt said. "We cannot arrest our way out of these problems we're facing — not just in our cities, but also in rural and suburban America."
But the message that perhaps made the biggest impression on students was Pratt reminding them to follow in the footsteps of King and never back down — even when they at first fail or are told "no."
"Dedicate your life to making an impact in the world," she told the students.
"For us, I think the responsibility is to continue those works not only in word, but also in deed," said Papaa Kodzi, a Rollins College student. "(We need) to find ways that we ourselves can use the ideals we talk about that Dr. King fostered, and actually implement them in our day-to-day lives."
And students learned that just like King — by showing everyone respect — you can accomplish a lot.
"I think treating people with dignity helps form a sense of community and connection with other people, and I think that's really important when you're trying to build a movement whether that be in the environment or in the women's movement," said Gabbie Buendia, another Rollins student.
Rollins is hosting events throughout the next several days as part of their Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Week. You can find a full list of those activities and more info on a special page on their website.
