The Martin Luther King Jr. Committee of Santa Barbara and the UC Santa Barbara Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity hosted a Martin Luther King Jr. Day walk on Jan. 15 to honor the civil rights leader and his wife, activist Coretta Scott King. Several Black student organizations spoke on the importance of activism and the presence of Black students in higher education.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Day walk was held to honor the civil rights leader and his wife, and activist Coretta Scott King. Shengyu Zhang / Daily Nexus
The event began at the Eternal Flame monument, which sits between the UCSB library and Ellison Hall. The monument was gifted by the class of 1968 to commemorate the Civil Rights Movement and the establishment of the Black studies department in 1969.
Julianna Swilley, the Office of Black Student Development’s coordinator of Black student life, opened the event by singing the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” inviting attendees to join in.
UCSB alumnus and Alpha Phi Alpha (APA) fraternity member Nebiyu Alemnew highlighted several student organizations, such as the Student Commission on Racial Equity (S.C.O.R.E.), the Black Student Union (BSU) and the Black Women’s Health Collective (BWHC) for their resources for Black students.
Alemnew spoke to the importance of the event’s location by the Eternal Flame as a “living symbol of commitment.”
“It stands as a reminder of the work our community continues to do to keep its message meaningful, relevant and impactful in today’s campus culture. As you’ll soon hear through our speakers’ testimonies, our legacy is rooted deep in resistance,” Alemnew said.
Next, President of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and fourth-year history of policy, law and governance and Black studies double major Alexis Pryor highlighted the importance of serving your community. Pryor also said that, in remembering the legacy of MLK Jr., it is important to honor the impact that Coretta Scott King had on the Civil Rights Movement.
S.C.O.R.E. co-chair and first-year political science and Black studies double major Michiah Woods said that the event celebrates the ongoing fight for freedom. Woods cites federal rollbacks to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs as a current threat to Black students.
On Trump’s inauguration day, he signed the executive order “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing,” which removes federal funding for DEI programs. According to Woods, this policy is part of a larger climate where anti-Blackness shows up constantly in classrooms and campus organizations.
“We are navigating classrooms, organizations and systems where anti-Blackness shows up constantly where our pain is questioned and minimized, where our presence is ignored,” Woods said. “Many of us feel unseen, unheard, alone as we watch opportunities slip through our hands.”
Woods stated that King’s messages of courage fuel the fight for a place in higher education for Black students.
“The truth is our presence here is already a resistance,” Woods said. “Every Black student who walks this campus, who speaks at meetings, who demands accountability, who refuses to shrink who they are, is bending that arc, even when the administration pushes back, even when the institution feels unjust, and even if it feels no one is listening.”
Next, the Martin Luther King Jr. Committee of Santa Barbara president and UCSB alumnus Gregory Freeland recollected on the Isla Vista riots, which he compared to the current protests in Minneapolis against the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.).
“The struggle continues. So today, we gather not only to honor Dr. King, but to reflect on the responsibility we all share to confront injustice … and to light the way for a better, more inclusive future,” Freeland said.
The organizers then led the attendees on a silent walk to North Hall — also known as Malcolm X Hall — in commemoration of the North Hall takeover of 1968. Nathaniel Ilo, APA member, UCSB alumnus and admissions counselor for community engagement, highlighted the importance of the silent walk before a minute of silence.
“It gives us an opportunity to not only just breathe, but then also remember the great work that everyone has done for us today,” Ilo said.
Lastly, North Hall Chair Endowed Professor of Sociology Waverly Duck credited the North Hall takeover for his ability to teach at UCSB.
“I am the living embodiment of the work that the Black student demand team has put in place,” Duck said. “I’m forever indebted to being invited to this campus, to be in service, but also just to be present for this moment. So I thank you all for making that possible.”
The silent walk concluded at the MultiCultural Center with a reception for students and guests.
A version of this article appeared on p. 4 of the Jan 22, 2026 edition of the Daily Nexus.
