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Acknowledging some people at the event carried heavy hearts on Inauguration Day, he added that he felt Dr. King’s presence at the meal packing event and reminded everyone that King cautioned that division always worked against progress.

“It is my responsibility whether we disagree or not,” Williams said. “It is my responsibility to make sure that we’re not disagreeable.

“This responsibility is going to be heavy because sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. But it can never be a life-or-death situation. We have a responsibility to always come together as a community. We have a responsibility to love radically. That is our responsibility. Despite your political affiliation, despite your background, just by who you are.”

President Vincent Price and Stelfanie Williams, vice president for community affairs, pitched in on the meal packing line along with Duke students.

Price told the volunteers he was proud that the volunteers were helping to make Durham an extraordinary place to live, work and study. He noted this was the 18^th year the Rotary Club has sponsored the event on MLK Day.  “It’s wonderful to partner with these groups,” Price said. “I’m delighted to be here with so many members of the community today.”

Duke Athletics Unity Rally

Later Monday, Duke students, most of them from athletic teams, came together for the fifth Unity Rally in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The event was the inspiration of Duke Softball head coach Marissa Young in 2020, following more than a year of community isolation during the Covid pandemic.

“Growing up, I had to stay at home every MLK Day and celebrate alone because my community could not embrace diversity and inclusion,” Young said. “To be here every year with this community that does embrace that is something special.

“Thank you for continuing to join this inclusive environment. Let this rally inspire us to embrace unity and continue being change agents in our daily life.”

Among the student-athlete speakers was Amiah Burgess, a softball player from Texas. Burgess quoted King several times, saying his words taught her, as a Black girl who felt isolated from her community that to “love yourself you must first accept yourself.”

Burgess said she found a community at Duke, friends who would empathize but also challenge her. She also found community through her teammates. “This version of Amiah doesn’t exist without my teammates,” she said. “I wouldn’t understand that they look forward to hanging out with the fullest version of me.

“Doctor King said that the beauty of genuine brotherhood and peace is more precious than diamonds or silver or gold. There’s extreme value in beauty and community. This community has changed my life: To be seen, to be valued, to be loved.”

The rally also included a keynote address from U.S. District Court Judge Jerry Blackwell, who advised the students to follow King’s example of setting a large goal that benefits society.

“If you dream large, you will become it,” Blackwell said.  “Just by writing the goal down, you lean into something bigger than yourself.  It helps you to never lose your mind when the world gets crazy because you will never lose track of this goal.”

He added that setting large goals will also teach “the lesson that in serving others, you’ll advance your own best interests.”

Backpacking Event

After the rally, students walked to Wilson Gym where they joined Coach Young, President Price, Vice President Williams and others in assembling 200 backpacks filled with toiletries, clothes and food for young Durham children experiencing homelessness or food insecurity.

Organized by the student group The Backpack Project, it was the group’s first MLK Day event, said founder , a junior from New Jersey.

During the hour-long event, Duke community volunteers worked quickly to fill the backpacks and organize them for distribution. The conversation along the assembly line was filled with laughter and spirit.

At other tables, students joined Williams in building friendship bracelets to share with the young recipients.

A biomedical engineering major, Talwar said she came from a community where she had friends and neighbors struggling with housing and food insecurity.  “I was always passionate about helping those experiencing homelessness,” said Talwar, who won the university’s Lars Lyon Award for her volunteer efforts last year.

Coming to Duke three years ago, she helped launch the project because she found many students were interested in engaging on issues of local housing and food insecurity.

It’s more than filling backpacks. The goal is to support the local groups on the ground. Talwar said students provide tutoring and early education assistance to youngsters, are trained in CPR and first aid, and always work closely with existing community groups, such as Families Moving Forward. “Students want to go out of their bubble and into the community,” she said. “They are passionate about this work.”