On Monday, Jan. 15, students from the UA School of Social Work participated in the annual MLK Jr. Unity March. Organized by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, people marched on the streets of downtown Tuscaloosa to commemorate the birthday of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Peggy Trosper, a social work instructor, continuing education coordinator and leader of the Diversity Committee, and Shayla Smith, the Chief Diversity Officer for the School of Social Work, led students as they walked in solidarity with other organizations, including the Tuscaloosa NAACP, Divine Nine fraternities and sororities, and others.
Trosper said they have done the march every year since 2018.
“Everything that MLK embodies are the values, principles and ethics of social work,” Smith said. “Part of social work is standing for social justice and dismantling racism.”
Trosper added that social work is recognizing the humanity of others.
“It’s important that we are out in the community,” Trosper said. “We are looking forward and thinking about using Dr. King’s legacy and thinking the society we can become.”
Ambre Adams, the communications specialist for the School of Social Work, was at the march documenting the event.
“It’s a huge thing to see so many people actively engaging and raising awareness,” Adams said. “[Dr. King’s birthday] is a day of action and a day to talk about the importance of the work Dr. King did.”
The annual march began at the Martin Luther King Elementary School and ended outside the Tuscaloosa City Hall. The woman leading the march, Donna Foster, gave remarks about the importance of activism.
Tuscaloosa mayor Walt Maddox also gave a speech as the crowd stood outside of the Tuscaloosa City Hall, speaking about the rights and freedoms that could be at risk in the upcoming 2024 election.
