This year, Loyola’s Center for Community, Service, and Justice (CCSJ) partnered with The Black Food Security Network for an MLK Day event titled, “Where Do We Go From Here?” At the event, students heard the words of not just Dr. King, but other civil rights activists such as Miss Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker, Gloria Richardson and John Lewis. For Sarah Flores ‘ 28, those words spoken many years ago still hold true today.
“I loved John Lewis’ “March on Washington” speech because it is a reminder that all minorities, in one shape or another, have to appease a white person. We are not the leading authorities, or the leading majorities. And our history is still not being taught,” Flores said.
Event attendees also had the opportunity to talk with members from other grassroot community organizations that were present, such as Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle, Crayons & Culture, CLLCTIVLY, Jubilee Arts, and The Black Food Security Network. Each organization provides a different service to help uplift members of the Black community in Baltimore. The Black Food Security Network, the main organizers of the event, is an organization that supports Black farmers and helps churches grow food for their community.
“When I first started this organization 10 years ago it was not very common to have churches growing their own food on their land. But 10 years later we have 243 member churches in our organization, and more outside of our organization, who are growing food, supporting Black farmers, and advancing food justice in their community,” Reverend Heber Brown III said, founder and executive director of the Black Church Food Security Network.
Brown shared that he was excited to see the large crowd of people moving around to each of the organizations’ tables and intermingling with each other. He believes that events like this one are incredibly important because it brings the community together. It allows for him, and others, to see another side of Baltimore that is often not shown in the media.
“It’s very powerful because it pushes back against this narrative about Baltimore that often leads with perspective around poverty and crime. So, when you have events like this where more than 10 organizations come together and bring this event to the community, it helps us to show a different side of Baltimore,” Brown said.
After the event, many students said they felt inspired by what they had heard and the conversations they had with other event attendees. Luisa Glass ‘25 shared that hearing about the work being done by various grassroots organizations amazed her.
“It really inspired me to hear from so many people in Baltimore who are doing such amazing work to advance the mission of MLK in our current society. There was great energy throughout the room with everyone being involved in the moment and you could tell that they were all really passionate about advancing this mission within their own organizations and lives,” Glass said.
Any Loyola students who wish to get involved with community service through Loyola should consider joining CCSJ and the York Road Initiative. All York Road Community Days and other CSSJ service opportunities are posted on the Bridge as they are planned.