Eastern Michigan University students honor Martin Luther King Jr. through service, advocacy

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of a beloved community in his speeches, a society rooted in peace, justice, and brotherhood and sisterhood.

The term beloved community, first used in the early 20th century by philosopher-theologian Josiah Royce, was an achievable goal to King, scholars report on the King Center website. 

“Dr. King’s Beloved Community is a global vision, in which all people can share in the wealth of the earth,” scholars wrote of King's message on the website page. “Love and trust will triumph over fear and hatred. Peace with justice will prevail over war and military conflict.”

At Eastern Michigan University, some students demonstrate their own commitment to a beloved community on campus through volunteerism, activism and community service work. 

Emily Bryson, a graduate assistant who works at EMU’s food bank Swoop’s Pantry, said helping address food insecurity on campus brings meaning and purpose to her work. 

“We’re helping other students and we’re reducing stigma that surrounds obtaining help,” Bryson said. “We are students serving students.”

Swoop’s is an example of a beloved community on campus, said Colton Ray, another graduate assistant who works at the pantry. The shared values and experiences that unite both the students who work at and who utilize the pantry help connect them, he said.

“It helps break down the barrier between those who serve and those who receive,” Ray said.

In honor of King Day and EMU’s weeklong celebration of the civil rights leader, Swoop’s will participate in a day of service and civic engagement in collaboration with EMU Student Government and EMU’s Society for Human Resource Management Chapter. 

The event, called The Beloved EMU Community: Student Volunteerism and Advocacy, takes place in the Student Center on the first floor from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. 

Student Government will lead an advocacy table, where students can learn about policymakers and how to write to Michigan legislators. Student veterans can receive resume and interview assistance from EMU’s Society for Human Resource Management Chapter. 

There will also be a Change for Change fundraiser for Swoop’s, where members of the campus community are encouraged to donate loose change, bottles and cans to support food delivery costs for the pantry. 

Ray said 46.5% of EMU students experience some level of food insecurity.

“If folks don’t already save their cans and bottles, we do return them,” Ray said. “If they don’t feel like bringing them and currently they just throw them away — then we will take people’s cans and bottles and return them and then use the money, of course, to purchase items for the pantry.”

For students looking to get involved in community service beyond the one-day event, Bryson said Swoop’s is always looking for volunteers, particularly on Monday and Wednesday mornings.

For EMU's Black Student Union, service is built into its mission. Previously, the group has partnered with Food Gatherers and organized a canned food drive, BSU President Trinity Perkins said. In December, members write holiday cards for children in hospitals, she said. The group is set to host its 11th annual Unity Ball in February, an event celebrating Black History Month. During the ball, BSU awards a scholarship to a student who has served their community, Perkins said.

Ypsilanti has as strong sense of community — something that can be found on EMU's campus, too, Perkins said. Campus events like EagleFest and WinterFest bring students together and help them get to know each other. By connecting, students better understand each other's goals, so they can work towards those goals together, Perkins said.

"I think EMU students can honor Dr. King's vision simply by keeping the peace that he says," Perkins said. "It's never in the sense that there can't be conflict. It's never in the sense that there can't be any kind of argument with each other, but it's simply in the sense that to keep peace, we need to understand each other and understand each other's positions. We will never all agree on the same thing and that's why part of his legacy is to peacefully protest."

"We know there would never be a complete agreement, but we also know that we can understand each other's point of views and continue to work together to figure out, to come to a common goal," she added.

For details about Unity Ball, joining BSU and future events, interested students can visit the group's Instagram page at @emu_bsu.

EMU's Omega Phi Alpha national service sorority also offers opportunities for students to engage in volunteer work. OPhiA Vice President Brianna Lovalvo said the group leads service projects on campus, supporting communities like children in foster care, the Humane Society and nursing homes. She said OPhiA is an inclusive, co-ed group with an informal recruitment process.

Volunteer work is a way for students to connect with the community around them and can also provide students with real-world experience for their future career, Lovalvo said. 

"Branch out. Be bold — bold as you can be," she said. "Any little thing you do can help make a big difference, no matter how small it seems. Even if it's just giving someone who is on the street a bottle of water, it helps people."

The sorority holds events and will have an initiation Feb. 1, 2026. Students interested in joining the sorority can attend recruitment events Jan. 20-30, 2026. For more information about events and meetings, visit the sorority's Instagram page @ophia_emu.