Students and staff from Cleary University have designed a march to downtown Howell in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Over the past couple years, Cleary University has provided unique programming for its students and the community for MLK Day. Associate Dean of Students Matt Oliver said this year’s idea of a march came from a brainstorming session with a student and was loved by staff. Oliver says they see it as chance for students, faculty, and the community to come together and actively participate in something that Dr. King did, himself.

The Walk for Unity March will begin this Monday morning at 10am at the Johnson Center, on the Cleary campus, with a series of 2-5 minute speeches from students, staff, and community leaders. Speakers will share their dreams of what unity looks like on a variety of topics in honor of Dr. King, who often spoke passionately on reconciliation, bringing people together, and freedom. Those who attend will hear on topics like the dreams for student, family, Cleary, and Howell unity.

Attendees will also have an opportunity to make signs of hope and love, to hold and display as the gathering then embarks on the march. The march will travel 2.8 miles down Grand River to downtown Howell, ending at the Historic Howell Theater. There, more speakers will share their dreams on topics like media respect, racial, political, and social unity.

A pizza lunch will conclude the festivities, with a shuttle being available to bring participants back to Cleary University.(MK)