The Dream in Our Hands: Honoring Dr. King’s Vision and Student Progress
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Bunker Hill Community College’s (BHCC) Third Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. recognition brunch brought together students, faculty, staff, and community members to honor Dr. King’s legacy through action, service, and student leadership. The event emphasized that Dr. King’s dream is not just a memory, but a living responsibility carried on by today’s students.
The program began with welcoming remarks from Justice Kumahia, Dean of Students, who reminded attendees that Dr. King’s vision calls for more than just hope. “It’s not just about hope, but it’s about action,” Kumahia said, emphasizing the importance of collective reflection and engagement.
In her welcome, BHCC President Dr. Pam Eddinger framed the day as both a celebration and a call to service. Drawing from Dr. King’s sermons, she emphasized that service is accessible to everyone. “Everyone can be great because anybody can serve,” she said, adding that service requires “a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love.” She reaffirmed BHCC’s commitment to supporting students with compassion, noting, “We love our students into being, and we love our students into success.”
Music played a central role throughout the program, reflecting what Denise Turner of the Office of College Events & Cultural Planning described as “the heartbeat of the movement.” The BHCC College Choir, accompanied by renowned cellist Bithyah Israel, performed Lift Every Voice and Sing, while a small vocal ensemble delivered a powerful rendition of Sam Cooke’s A Change Is Gonna Come, reinforcing themes of resilience, hope, and inevitable progress.
Student voice was at the heart of the event. Masooma Zahra, selected through an anonymous review process, shared a moving reflection rooted in poetry and lived experience. Drawing on Dr. King’s concept of “the fierce urgency of now,” Zahra reminded the audience that progress is shaped by everyday choices. “The dream is not in the future. It is now,” she said, adding that leadership is not a title but “a choice made daily—when we speak, we act, and we care.”
The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Robert J. Greene II, Associate Professor of History at Claflin University, whose remarks anchored Dr. King’s legacy in its full historical and intellectual context. Dr. Greene urged attendees to see Dr. King not as a mythic figure, but as a deeply human thinker shaped by global movements, academic inquiry, and moral courage. Quoting Dr. King directly, Greene noted that King hoped to be remembered as “a drum major for justice,” someone part of something greater than himself.
Dr. Greene highlighted three key lessons for students: always be willing to learn, have the courage to act, and foster community. He stressed that reflection and action must go hand in hand, stating, “You can’t have good action without reflection, but reflection won’t mean much unless action is taken afterward.” He also underscored the importance of community in an increasingly disconnected world, reminding attendees that Dr. King’s ultimate goal was to build a beloved community rooted in shared responsibility and mutual respect.
Closing remarks were offered by Nahomi Carlisle, Associate Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, who thanked the many individuals and departments who made the event possible. She echoed Dr. King’s belief that “true education is both intelligence and character,” encouraging attendees to carry forward the spirit of service.
Following the brunch, Dr. Greene led a seminar on HBCUs, history, and student impact.
Together, the program served as a powerful reminder that Dr. King’s dream remains alive at Bunker Hill Community College—in classrooms, in community, and in the hands of students committed to shaping a more just future.