The Great Lakes Bay Region marks MLK Jr. Day with celebrations, scholarships, and awards

This month, the Great Lakes Bay Region celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with awards and scholarships recognizing those who continue his work.

Many regard King as the nation’s most heralded civil rights leader. He championed nonviolent resistance to advance America’s civil rights. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Although King was only 39 years old when he was assassinated on April 4, 1968, his life continues to inspire.

The Great Lakes Bay Region holds two formal celebrations this month.

Unity March and Unity Luncheon

The 29th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Luncheon will be held Mon., Jan. 20 at the Dow Event Center in Saginaw.

Photo courtesy of Delta CollegeDr. Angela Guy-LeeDuring the lunch, Delta College Associate Professor Dr. Angela Guy-Lee will be recognized for her service to the community and 94th District Rep. Amos O’Neal will give the keynote address. A Unity March precedes the lunch at 10 a.m.

Guy-Lee served as a member and co-president for the Black Faculty and Staff Association and created a class specifically for Delta’s police academy called, “Race: A Social Construct,” focusing on the history and role of race in the United States.

She is receiving the Spirit of MLK Award for her commitment to supporting that legacy of service.

The theme of this year’s Unity Luncheon is “Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice and Democracy in the Spirit of Nonviolence,” and is presented by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and the college’s Black Faculty and Staff Association as a fundraiser for scholarships for local youth.

For more information and tickets, contact Larry Jones at (989) 714-0709, Smallwood Holoman at (989) 859-2602, or Eddie Foxx at (989) 860-4146.

Great Lakes Bay Regional Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration

The second event, the 2025 Great Lakes Bay Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Celebration, will be held in Curtiss Hall on the Saginaw Valley State University campus on Wed., Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. The event includes a keynote address focusing on racial and gender equality, presentation of the MLK Scholarship Awards, and the presentation of the Regional Drum Major Awards.

Photo courtesy of SVSUThe Rev. Nontombi Naomi TutuThe Rev. Nontombi Naomi Tutu, an Episcopal priest and advocate for racial and gender justice, will deliver the keynote address on “Our Shared Humanity: Creating Understanding Through the Principles of MLK.”

Tutu, who lives in Atlanta, Ga., is the daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a South African Anglican bishop known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist. The Archbishop received the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize and influenced his daughter’s path as an advocate and priest.

Born in South Africa during apartheid, Rev. Tutu has a long history of service, working as an economist and development consultant in West Africa, serving as program coordinator for programs on race and gender and gender-based violence in education in Cape Town, and teaching at several universities here in the United States.

Along with the keynote address, students receiving Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Scholarships and the winners of the Martin Luther King Jr. Drum Major Award take the spotlight.

Jeff Dukes of Linwood is one of the MLK Drum Major Award recipients. The Bay Area Community Foundation nominated Dukes for his award.

Photo courtesy of SVSUJeff Dukes “(Jeff) Dukes, recipient of the MLK Drum Major Award, was nominated by the Bay Area Community Foundation for his exceptional commitment to community service and his embodiment of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s values,” states J.J. Boehm, Vice President of Communications at SVSU.

Dukes is a member of UA Local 85 and has made an impact through his volunteer work.

“From building ramps for those in need to mentoring students at the Saginaw Career Center Complex, Dukes has demonstrated a dedication to uplifting others,” Boehm comments.

Dukes says service is an important part of his life. “It has always been one of my goals in life to give back to my community in any way that I can.”

Nicole Horn, Donor Relations and Communications Officer for the Bay Area Community Foundation, explains the Regional Drum Major Award.

“It is an honor given to individuals and students in the Great Lakes Bay Region who demonstrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision of service and leadership,” she says.

“The Great Lakes Bay Regional MLK Celebration event committee created the Drum Major Award to recognize people who perform daily acts of service to improve their community. Nominees are selected from Bay, Midland, and Saginaw counties.”

This event is free and open to the public. For more information visit the SVSU website.