Iowa City Today

Join the Iowa City community for an indoor Day of Service in Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, Jan. 16, 2023!

The 2023 theme is based on the quote, " I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Noble Peace Prize Acceptance Speech – Oslo, Norway 1964

Iowa City's Day of Service will start with a Unity Rally and March at 9:45 a.m. (starting from UAY at Eastdale Plaza and walking to Mercer Park Gym). After the Unity Rally and March there will be a celebratory program at the Mercer Park Gym, including entertainment performances, a keynote speaker, and free lunch.  Several service-based activities for participants along with some other activities for children and families will be held from noon – 2 pm. Parking is available on-site. Individuals of all ages are welcome and encouraged to attend! 

By participating in this event, you will be able to:

• Describe your role as an active member of the Iowa City community
• Describe the importance of community engagement
• Identify opportunities for future engagement within our community

This event is part of the Iowa City community's annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration of Human Rights Week, which is a collaborative effort between the City of Iowa City, the Black Voices Project, the University of Iowa, and numerous nonprofit agencies. For more information about the week, visit our MLK Day website.

MLK Day of Service is a federal holiday dedicated to Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in honor of his legacy and passion for service. Legislation signed in 1983 designated the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. a federal holiday. In 1994, Congress designated the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service and charged the Corporation for National and Community Service with leading this effort. Each year, on the third Monday in January, MLK Day of Service is observed as a 'day on, not a day off.' MLK Day of Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions to social problems, and moves us closer to Dr. King's vision of a 'Beloved Community.

If you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate in this event, please contact Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at 319-356-5022 or stefanie-bowers@iowa-city.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.

Original source can be found here.