As communities across the country mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day, organizers in Ashland are asking what it means to live out King’s words today and what responsibility comes with them.
This year’s local celebration centers on the idea that progress toward justice requires sustained effort, not just reflection. Southern Oregon University President Rick Bailey, the keynote speaker, said King’s message about moral courage, love and accountability continues to resonate amid political and social divisions.
"These are challenging times," Bailey said. "The message that doctor King gave us, we need to lean on that more than we ever have."
Organizers say the annual gathering brings together community members for music, reflection and a shared look at King’s legacy — not only as history, but as a call to action that continues to shape civic life in Southern Oregon.
MLK Day organizer D.L. Richardson said people need to embrace the lessons of the civil rights movement.
"We're all in this together," Richardson said. "If one person is affected than we are all affected."
King's quote, "The time is always right to do what is right," serves as this year's theme.
Bailey acknowledges that it can be difficult to know what is right.
"There are a lot of times when there is no clear right answer," he said. "You have to fall back on principles."
Organizers say strong community turnout has been a hallmark of Ashland’s MLK Day celebration for decades.
Richardson said he was struck by the size of the crowd when he attended his first local event at Southern Oregon University in 2002. Gina DuQuenne, Ashland city councilor and MLK Day organizer, had a similar reaction after moving to the city and finding the event so full she couldn’t get inside. Those experiences led them both to get involved with organizing the event.
But Richardson said the event is about more than just strong attendance numbers — it's a call to action.
"It's not just enough to say this is wrong," he said. "We actually have to do something."
Ashland city councilor and MLK Day organizer Gina DuQuenne said many people tell her they are upset right now, and the event is just a start.
"What we are doing on Monday needs to carry into every day of our lives," she said.
Event
- 38th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration, noon Jan. 19, Historic Ashland Armory, 208 Oak St, Ashland, Oregon 97520. Doors open at 11:30 a.m.Admission is free, but donations of non-perishable food items are encouraged.
- A march to the Ashland Plaza for King's "I Have a Dream" speech will follow the presentation.
Guests
- Gina DuQuenne, Ashland City Council and MLK Day committee organizer
- D.L. Richardson, MLK Day committee organizer
- Rick Bailey, SOU president
JPR is licensed to Southern Oregon University, but our newsroom operates independently. Guided by our journalistic standards and ethics, we cover the university like any other organization in the region. No university official reviewed or edited this story before it was published.
