Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Awards

Thursday, January 23, 2025 from 4pm-5:30pm
Virtual Awards Ceremony

To the Metropolitan Atlanta Community:

For over 29 years, the Rollins School of Public Health and the Goizueta Business School have honored the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Awards Program. This celebration originated from a conversation in 1993 between Dr. Joyce Essien and then-Dean of the Rollins School of Public Health, Ray Greenburg. They agreed it was time to align the mission and values of Public Health with the principles of social justice. Since then, the Rollins School of Public Health has collaborated with other Emory schools and divisions, including the Goizueta Business School, Emory School of Medicine, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory Healthcare, Woodruff Health Sciences Center, and the Emory Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, to sponsor this event.

With the support of Daniele Fallin, Dean of the Rollins School of Public Health, Gareth James, Dean of the Goizueta Business School, Sandra Lynn Wong, Dean of the School of Medicine, Linda A. McCauley, Dean of the School of Nursing, and the dedicated efforts of faculty, staff, and students, this program has become a significant event in the King Week activities held at Emory. Our awards ceremony is the only event consistently recognizing individuals and organizations in greater Atlanta whose work embodies the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This year's awards celebration theme is "Uplifting Humanity: Creating a Future of Justice and Equity through Compassion & Service." It is centered on Dr. King's quotation: "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." We acknowledge that despite the challenges our communities and country have faced in recent years, there are individuals and moments that uplift us.

The 2025 MLK Jr. Community Service Awards will honor individuals and groups from the Emory and Atlanta communities who have led with love and peace while advocating for justice for all. Nominees might have demonstrated actions or initiatives that go beyond typical responsibilities in addressing issues or confronting injustices within the Emory and broader Atlanta communities.

Sincerely,

Martin Luther King Community Service Award Committee