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OU MLK Jr Day Events Kicked Off Last Night

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Even though Martin Luther King Jr Day is this coming Monday, Ohio University began the celebration last night.

There will be events going on all weekend, with the highlight being a Silent March and Celebratory Brunch on Monday. 
 
Kemba Smith-Pradia will headline the brunch, speaking to the topic "From a Dream to Social Justice."
 
In 1994 Smith-Pradia was sentenced to 24 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine for her boyfriend's drug activities and in 2000 she was granted clemency by President Bill Clinton. Smith-Pradia is now a public speaker, using her personal story to educate people of the social, economic and political consequences of our nation's current drug sentencing policies. 
 
Dr. Akil Houston, a professor of African-American Studies at OU, says he feels Smith-Pradia will engage participants. "I expect and I'm looking forward to her talking about King, her experiences and sort of the connections of his work and how it's something we can not only celebrate, it's something we can be a part of in today's context," said Houston.
 
Last night, a Celebration of Creativity was held in the Baker Center Ballroom Atrium, followed by a panel discussion of the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. beyond the march on Washington.