Iota Chi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. in partnership with Delta College Black Faculty and Staff is hosting the 25th Annual Martin Luther King Jr “Virtual” Unity Celebration on Monday January 18, 2021 via FACEBOOK Live beginning at 11:00 a.m. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Dr. King’s Dream – A Time to Heal and Unify”
Due to restrictions associated with the corona virus pandemic, our Celebration will be broadcasted “virtually” using FACEBOOK Live as our platform. We will begin our celebration with a with a virtual “Unity March” commemorating marches which have occurred locally and nationally. Dr. Donald Bachand, President of Saginaw Valley State University and Dr. Jean Goodnow, President of Delta College will bring remarks and reflections on our region’s marches over the decades, and they will call attention to the their institutions’ efforts to service our communities.
Our keynote speaker for this Celebration is the newly elected 36th General President of Alpha Phi Alpha Feraternity, Inc. Dr. Willis Lonzer, III. Dr. Willis is a respected leader in the Fraternity, business, and his community. He is an executive scientist with 20 years of global pharmaceutical research and development and global medical affairs experience. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in biochemistry and postdoctoral fellow in physiology and biophysics. Dr. Lonzer took office as the Fraternity’s 36th General President of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity on January 1, 2021.
Historically, Iota Chi Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha presents its community service awards to individuals and organizations for their service to our community. This year the Fraternity’s highest community awards, the Dr. MLK Jr Community Service Award and Dr. MLK Jr Unity Award, will be presented to our local “Frontline Heroes” who day in and day out, continued to serve us through this virus pandemic. Medical personnel and volunteers who served us through Covid-19 testing and vaccinations hospital caretakers, and Food service groups and volunteers who addressed “food insecurities” our residents experienced and to those organizations that distributed masks to families that needed them. A touching video developed by our partner WNEM TV5 captured these amazing Heroes and will be shown during this Celebration broadcast!
Also, Delta College Black Faculty and Staff Association will present the “Spirit of Dr. King Award” to Ms. Beth Kelch.
Persons interested in viewing the virtual program, can find us on FACEBOOK at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/SaginawAlphas