Centenary College Hosts Annual ‘Dream Week’ Activities January 19-24

Students, staff and faculty at Centenary College have a full week of events planned to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dream Week organizer LaToya Hemphill told me it all kicks off early Monday morning with the 7th Annual MLK Service Day.

"Around 8:30, we'll be dispersing our volunteers to their designated sites. From there, it's going to be different activities at different sites. General beautification overall, but there may be different tasks, as well," Hemphill said. "For instance, at Stoner Hill Elementary, which is one of our long-standing sites since we've been doing this over the past seven years, we'll also be doing decorative personalized reading tote bags for the first-grade students at Stoner Hill. We'll be doing that, as well, at Common Ground and Volunteers of America, the Lighthouse program for their after-school students."

New Shreveport Mayor Ollie Tyler will be among those participating in the neighborhood beautification projects.

Here's a list of the rest of the week's activities:

Tuesday, January 20, 11 a.m., Whited Room in Bynum Commons - MLK Convocation with Guest Speaker Rev. Jay Augustine

Rev. Jay Augustine currently serves as the senior pastor of St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church in New Orleans, Louisiana, and is an adjunct faculty member at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Most recently, Rev. Augustine is the author of the book, The Keys Are Being Passed: Race, Law, and Religion & the Legacy of the Civil Rights Movement. The book marks the 50th Anniversary of the American Civil Rights Movement while also focusing on key issues such as voting rights, environmental justice, and education reform.

Wednesday, January 21, 7:30 p.m., Robinson Film Center - Dream Week Movie Night: Take Me to the River

Take Me to the River (2014) is a documentary chronicling the evolution of soul music in the heart of one of America's most iconic southern cities, Memphis, TN. The film follows the recording of an album that brought together musical legends from the well-known Stax recording company with rising musical stars of today. The film is both inter-generational and inter-racial as it brought award-winning Memphis and Mississippi Delta musicians together in a way that was unique and unprecedented. More information about the film can be found here as well as here, or you can watch the trailer. Tickets to the film will be free to all Centenary students with student ID.

Thursday, January 22, 11 a.m., Whited Room of Bynum Commons - MLK Convocation with alumnus Dr. Jason Maggio

Dr. Jason Maggio graduated from Centenary College in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in health and exercise science. He later earned his doctorate at Parker University in Dallas, Texas, in chiropractic care. While at Centenary, Maggio was a member of the basketball team and was also involved in other aspects of campus life. Throughout his career, Maggio has served his community both locally and globally in many ways. His healthcare center, All the Way Health, is one of the largest natural healthcare centers in the state of Louisiana. He leads a local weekly radio show on 96.5 KVKI educating members of the community on health care and health related issues. He has served as a member on the U.S. Olympic Wellness Advisory Council and most recently as a Wellness Physician to the U.S. Olympic Team during the 2012 London Olympic games.

Friday, January 23, 7:30 p.m., Marjorie Lyons Playhouse - Dream Week Theatre Performance of "Crowns" produced by the Mahogany Ensemble Theatre

“Crowns” is a spirit-filled tribute to the faith and fashion of African American women and their church hats. This popular musical peers into the lives of women as it celebrates family, faith, love, loss, and finding one's true identity.

The Mahogany Ensemble Theatre Company is an award-winning community theatre company founded and led by Centenary double-alumna (bachelor's in speech, master's in education administration), Mrs. Angelique Feaster Evans.

Saturday, January 24, 1 p.m., Marjorie Lyons Playhouse - 4th Annual MLK Youth Oratory Contest