This year marks the eighth annual campus-wide observance of Walk the Walk Week, a week-long series of University, department, and student-sponsored events designed to help us consider how we—both individually and collectively—can take an active role in making Notre Dame even more welcoming and inclusive.
University President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., invites you to participate in one or more of the week's offerings. All are welcome!
This year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day falls on Monday, January 16, the day before the start of the Spring Semester and an official University holiday. You can learn about opportunities to participate in MLK Day observances in the South Bend community here.
Our campus commemoration of MLK Day and Walk the Walk Week will take place Thursday, January 19, through Friday, January 27.
Information about events being planned as part of Walk the Walk Week can be found below. Please note that the list will continue to grow as more events are added between now and January.
Events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.
To submit an event for inclusion on the site, please email president@nd.edu.
Past Events
Monday, January 16
2023 Law School Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service
Eck Hall of Law & South Bend community
It is a tradition at Notre Dame Law School to hold a Day of Service each year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to honor Dr. King’s unwavering fight for racial and social justice, to embody the University of Notre Dame’s Catholic mission, and to embrace our responsibility to serve others.
Law students, faculty, and staff who wish to spend part of the day volunteering will be able to sign up for a service project from a list of options. At the end of the day, the Law School will host a gathering with food and fellowship for all volunteers.
Tuesday, January 17
Walking in the Spirit of Truth: Charting the Pathways to Racial Justice
Auditorium, Hesburgh Center for International Studies
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 1963)
Join the Kroc Institute for an open and honest conversation about where racism is in America and how the pathways towards racial justice are impacted. Our distinguished panelists will discuss how walking the walk toward true racial justice involves addressing the manifold manifestations of racism and systemic racism with conviction and with a resolve toward actions.
Opening remarks by Gwendolyn Purifoye, Assistant Professor of Racial Justice and Conflict Transformation
Panelists include:
Dr. Derrick Brooms, Professor of Sociology and Africana Studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Dr. Carla Goar, Director of the Anti-Racism and Equity Institute and Professor of Sociology, Kent State University
Dr. Amber Hewitt, Racial Equity Advocate, Psychologist, and Consultant
Dr. David Stovall,Professor of Criminology, Law, and Justice, University of Illinois Chicago
Sponsored by the Mendoza College of Business Staff Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council
The Mendoza Staff Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council is pleased to host a film screening and panel discussion focused on the lasting impact President Emeritus Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C. has had on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) issues at Notre Dame, the country, and the world.
Join in for pizza, a film viewing of the documentary Hesburgh, and reflections. Following the film, reflections will be offered by Rev. Edward "Monk" Malloy, C.S.C., president emeritus of Notre Dame (who succeeded Fr. Hesburgh); Rev. Hugh Page, the inaugural vice president for institutional transformation; and Dr. Joan Mileski, visiting teaching professor in Mendoza and one of the first undergraduate women to attend Notre Dame.
5-5:30 p.m. - Pizza served in the Mendoza Atrium
5:30-7:15 p.m. - Hesburgh Film Screening in Jordan Auditorium
7:15-7:45 p.m. - Panel Discussion/Reflections in Jordan Auditorium
Thursday, January 19
Why I Write
215/216 McKenna Hall
Featuring Natasha Trethewey, Artist-in-Residence, Notre Dame Initiative on Race and Resilience
In this meditation, the Pulitzer Prize-winning 19th Poet Laureate of the United States considers the origins of her writing life. At the crossroads of personal and public history, she charts the contours of an American story, a life in letters.
Trethewey is the author of the New York Times bestseller Memorial Drive: A Daughter’s Memoir (2020); a book of nonfiction, Beyond Katrina: A Meditation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast (2010); and five collections of poetry.
Martin Luther King Jr. Lunch for Transformational Leaders Program Students
217 Main Building, Transformational Leaders Program Lounge
The Transformational Leaders Program (TLP) is hosting a lunch in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Lunch will be provided by Soulful Kitchen, a local Black, female-owned business. During lunch, TLP students will read aloud a passage of their choice from any noteworthy text or speech by an African American leader.
All are welcome to gather in the TLP Lounge to listen to and engage with students.
Film Screening: "The Inspection"
Browning Cinema, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
Directed by Elegance Bratton
With Jeremy Pope, Gabrielle Union, Bokeem Woodbine
Rated R, 95 minutes, DCP
In Elegance Bratton's deeply moving film inspired by his own story, a young, gay Black man, rejected by his mother and with few options for his future, decides to join the Marines, doing whatever it takes to succeed in a system that would cast him aside.
But even as he battles deep-seated prejudice and the grueling routines of basic training, he finds unexpected camaraderie, strength, and support in this new community, giving him a hard-earned sense of belonging that will shape his identity and forever change his life.
Sponsored by the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.
UZIMA! Drum and Dance
Patricia George Decio Theatre, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
Welcome UZIMA! Drum and Dance, an Afro-Caribbean Dance Company that brings people of all ages and backgrounds together.
Celebrating the human spirit, the power of a unified community, and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family members shine onstage in two performances, their first at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center since 2018. Come to feel and share the joy!
Help address the immediate needs of people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity in the greater South Bend area, as the ND community collects and distributes toiletries, food, and other essential items to organizations that serve this population.
Co-sponsored by Student Government. Open to members Notre Dame students, faculty, and staff.
Directed by Elegance Bratton
With Jeremy Pope, Gabrielle Union, Bokeem Woodbine
Rated R, 95 minutes, DCP
In Elegance Bratton's deeply moving film inspired by his own story, a young, gay Black man, rejected by his mother and with few options for his future, decides to join the Marines, doing whatever it takes to succeed in a system that would cast him aside.
But even as he battles deep-seated prejudice and the grueling routines of basic training, he finds unexpected camaraderie, strength, and support in this new community, giving him a hard-earned sense of belonging that will shape his identity and forever change his life.
Sponsored by the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.
Film Screening: "The Inspection"
Browning Cinema, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
Directed by Elegance Bratton
With Jeremy Pope, Gabrielle Union, Bokeem Woodbine
Rated R, 95 minutes, DCP
In Elegance Bratton's deeply moving film inspired by his own story, a young, gay Black man, rejected by his mother and with few options for his future, decides to join the Marines, doing whatever it takes to succeed in a system that would cast him aside.
But even as he battles deep-seated prejudice and the grueling routines of basic training, he finds unexpected camaraderie, strength, and support in this new community, giving him a hard-earned sense of belonging that will shape his identity and forever change his life.
Sponsored by the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.
UZIMA! Drum and Dance
Patricia George Decio Theatre, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
Welcome UZIMA! Drum and Dance, an Afro-Caribbean Dance Company that brings people of all ages and backgrounds together.
Celebrating the human spirit, the power of a unified community, and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family members shine onstage in two performances, their first at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center since 2018. Come to feel and share the joy!
Professor Pfinklepfunder's $1 Sunday Family Films
Directed by Pete Docter, Kemp Powers
With Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton
Rated PG, 100 minutes, Blu-Ray
The latest in a string of Pixar films to tackle complex ideas with delicacy and sweetness, Soul continued the string of Pixar films to win the Best Animated Feature Academy Award.
Playing on both the musical and metaphysical ideas of "soul," the film follows Joe, a middle-school band teacher who feels his life didn't pan out as he had wished. Brought into a completely different setting, Joe begins to understand the nature of his passion, Jazz, and what it means to kindle a similar passion in others.
Sponsored by the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.
Film Screening: "Five Years North"
Browning Cinema, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
Five Years North is an award-winning documentary that tells the coming-of-age story of 16-year-old Luis, an undocumented Guatemalan boy who arrived alone in New York City. While Luis balances school, work, and his mental health, Judy, a veteran ICE officer and first-generation Cuban immigrant, navigates new immigration priorities.
The screening will be followed by a panel discussion about immigration advocacy with:
Lisa Koop, National Immigration Justice Center
Erin Corcoran, Acting Director, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies
The Notre Dame Shuttle will be available to transport attendees to the prayer service between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., and again following the service and reception from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Buses will run intermittently between the following locations and the Main Circle:
University Village (grad student housing) - Pick up’s at The Community Building
Dublin Village - Pick up’s at the corner of Patrick & Abbey Streets.
The Landing - Pick-up’s at the Main Office
University Edge - pick-up’s at the Office Building
The Overlook - pick up’s at the rear entrance of Danny Boy Brew Works (off of Burdette St. in rear parking lot)
Irish Flats - pick-up’s at the Leasing Office
Parking for community members, staff, and faculty will be available in the Grotto, Lyons, and St. Liam’s lots.
Visit the Institute for Latino Studies' Galería América during Walk the Walk Week.
As part of its engagement with the Arts, the Institute maintains a permanent collection of paintings, prints, and photographs by contemporary Latinx artists. We currently feature exhibits by exciting creators such as Esperanza Gama, Lalo Alcaraz, Vladimir Cybil Charlier, Maria Tomasula and others.
The exhibit is open for viewing throughout Walk the Walk Week.
A walk through Galería América is sure to provoke and inspire during this time of contemplation and community-building.
Research That Matters: Scholarship Advancing Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Bond Hall 104 and 106
Join Graduate Student Life and the Graduate School in celebrating current Notre Dame graduate students whose research advances the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of a more just and equitable world. Featuring interdisciplinary topics from art to chemistry and more, nine doctoral students will present brief lighting talks on their research and its impact.
Light refreshments will follow the lightning talks. All are welcome!
Speakers
Zay Dale, Ph.D. Candidate in English, Topic: The dichotomy between violence and aesthetic animation in twentieth-century Black texts
Sofia Duenas, Ph.D. Student in Sociology and at the Institute for Educational Initiatives, Topic: Exploring how education policies promote or hinder equitable societies
Noemi Fernández Labarga, Ph.D. Student in English, Topic: The ways racial discourse and American literature mutually inform one another
Isabel Guiza-Gomez, Ph.D. Student in Peace Studies and Political Science, Topic: Disempowered groups' attempts to address socioeconomic inequalities and promote political inclusion in highly unequal and violent societies
Taylor Hartson, Ph.D. Student in Sociology, Topic: The unique experiences and practices of queer sustainable agriculture and farmers in the Midwest
Geneva Hutchinson, Master's Student in Art, Art History and Design and Gender Studies, Topic: Using frameworks provided by trauma theorists and feminist artists, addressing the abuse of power toward women within the church
Ornella Joseph, Ph.D. Student in Chemistry, Topic: The development of the Notre Dame Lead Screening Kit for use in St. Joseph County
Emmanuel Ojeifo, Ph.D. Student in Theology, Topic: A study of Nghar village in Nigeria and interreligious violence and peacemaking efforts in the region
Carli Steelman, Ph.D. Student in Peace Studies and Sociology
Tuesday, January 24
UndocuAlly Training
Coleman-Morse Lounge
Join UndocuAlly ND for a campus-wide training and evening of engaging topics around immigrant justice.
Together, we will discuss subjects related to the undocumented student experience, learn and apply (in real-time) best practices for allyship and building inclusive community with immigrant students, and engage with "Know Your Rights" materials. By educating ourselves, listening to our peers, and engaging in honest dialogues, we can do our part to help ensure Notre Dame is a safe and just place for all community members, regardless of their immigration status. All members of the Notre Dame community are invited.
We hope you will join us for this evening of collective learning, as we work together to build our sanctuary at ND, one student at a time!
This event is co-sponsored by the Transformational Leaders Program and UndocuAlly ND.
A Panel Discussion on Dismantling the School-to-Prison Pipeline
Carey Auditorium, Hesburgh Library
Join Notre Dame Student Government and panelists for a conversation on the School-to-Prison Pipeline in the United States, the disproportionate tendency of minors and young adults from marginalized backgrounds to be incarcerated due to increasingly harsh school policies.
Panelists will explore what the pipeline is, how it impacts our communities, and discuss proactive actions and educational reforms that can help reverse this negative trend.
Panelists include:
Justin McDevitt, J.D., Assistant Regional Director - Alumni and Reentry Services (Northern Indiana Region), Notre Dame Programs for Education in Prison
Dr. Maria McKenna, Director, Transformational Leaders Program; Professor of the Practice in Africana Studies and the Education, Schooling & Society Program
Additional panelists will be announced soon.
This event is co-sponsored by the Alliance for Catholic Education, the Center for Social Concerns, and the Education, Schooling, & Society Program.
Bringing Diverse Voices to Curricula
Zoom Webinar
The AnBryce Scholars Initiative welcomes 2021 Domer Dozen award winner Zoe (Rote) Kourajian ('16) to speak to students about the experiences that led her into education and how she centers a wide variety of experiences in her middle school teaching.
The lessons from Zoe's work resonate inside and outside of the classroom, as they actively encourage curiosity, analytical thinking, and confidence in one's own story.
Please note that this event will take place via Zoom and not in person. To receive the Zoom link, please register for the event.
This event is sponsored by the AnBryce Scholars Initiative.
Wednesday, January 25
Tell Your Story of Race: Notre Dame Voices True
4120 Jenkins Nanovic Halls
This event is sponsored by the Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights.
Notre Dame students, staff, and faculty are invited to share their personal stories of racial identity, struggle, and belonging. Add your voice to With Voices True, the Klau Institute archive on race, and become part of the story our community is telling.
Brief one-on-one audio interviews will be recorded at the Klau Institute throughout the afternoon. All stories will be housed in Notre Dame Archives as a part of our permanent collection.
Stop by to meet with representatives from the Gender Relations Center, Multicultural Student Services and Programs, and the Office of Student Enrichment and to learn more about how to get involved with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programming for students.
Food will be provided.
Black@ND Live: A Podcast Conversation on Black Excellence
Patricia George Decio Theatre, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
Join the co-hosts of the Black@ND podcast, Luzolo Matundu (’24) and Isaiah Hall (’25), for a live episode taping.
Panelists for the conversation include current Notre Dame students and alumni:
Jakim Aaron (Second Year Law School Student)
Thaddea Ampadu ('23)
Mike Brown ('01)
Breyona Gray (SMC '23)
Kareema Green ('24)
Bupe Kabaghe ('24)
Charity McDowell (’24)
Calvin Metts (Executive Chef, Morris Inn)
Camille Mosley (Doctoral Student)
Vongaishe Mutatu ('23)
Olivier Ntala ('23)
Daymine Snow ('25)
Black@ND seeks to be a forum for open and honest conversation that gives greater visibility to the experience of Black students, faculty, staff, and alumni at the University of Notre Dame. Fill out this Google form to join the Black@ND listserv to stay up to date on new episodes.
This event is sponsored by Notre Dame Student Government.
Thursday, January 26
Celebrating Black Excellence Dinner
Smith Ballroom, Morris Inn
Featuring a keynote address by Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP
Join Notre Dame Student Government for a dinner celebrating Black excellence in all aspects of Notre Dame campus life. Attendees should wear formal attire (black tie option) and the event will be catered by the Morris Inn.
Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., but Rohr's and Morris Inn seating areas will be open prior to this time. There will be a coat check available for those needing this service.
The dinner will include a buffet-style dinner, a keynote address from Derrick Johnson, and recognition of outstanding Black students, staff, and faculty at Notre Dame.
This event is co-sponsored by Notre Dame organizations including the AnBryce Scholars Initiative, the Balfour-Hesburgh Scholars Program, the Black Students Association, the Department of Africana Studies, the Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement, Human Resources D&I, the Institute for Race and Resilience, the Klau Center for Civil and Human Rights, the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, Mendoza College of Business D&I, Multicultural Student Programs and Services, the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), the Notre Dame Scholars Program, the Office of Institutional Transformation, Show Some Skin, and theTransformational Leaders Program.
Anthony McGill, clarinet, & Anna Polonsky, piano
LaBar Recital Hall, O'Neill Hall of Music
Principal clarinetist for the New York Philharmonic since 2014, Anthony McGill, and pianist Anna Polonsky join forces in an exciting program embracing new and familiar clarinet and piano works.
In 2020, McGill was awarded the Avery Fisher Prize, one of classical music's most significant awards in recognition of soloists who represent the highest level of musical excellence. McGill is among his instrument's rare recitalists who headline major concert series.
Notre Dame staff and faculty are invited to participate in this year's Unity Summit, hosted by the Office of Human Resources.
Featuring small group facilitated dialogue, participants will explore societal challenges and discuss ways to make Notre Dame a more welcoming place where all employees can thrive. Lunch will be provided.
Snite Museum Walk the Walk Week Digital Collection
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, explore photographs of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement from the Snite Museum’s permanent collection.
Black@ND is a talk show created and co-hosted by Emorja Roberson, Euda Fils, Daut'e Martin, and Blake Woods. It seeks to be a forum for an open and honest conversation that gives greater visibility to the experience of black students, faculty, staff, and alumni at the University of Notre Dame. Its purpose is to foster constructive self-criticism and awareness within the University community in order to contribute to the University’s mission to promote a spirit of diversity and inclusion.
Global in scope and comparative and interdisciplinary in critical approach, the Initiative on Race and Resilience promotes multiracial collaboration, qualitative and quantitative methodologies, and inclusive pedagogy. It focuses on challenging systemic racism and promoting racial equality through scholarship, education, and community empowerment.
The Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights presents Building an Anti-Racist Vocabulary, a lecture series and associated course presenting preeminent scholars, thought leaders, and public intellectuals to guide the Notre Dame community through topics necessary to an understanding of systemic racism and racial justice. The series is designed to provide intellectual and moral building blocks to begin the transformative work of anti-racism.
Building on the Notre Dame's Spirit of Inclusion, Notre Dame Athletics invites all student-athletes, coaches, staff, faculty, alumni, supporters, and community members to join in the work needed to create sustainable progress and change.
A Message from Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. and the Rev. Canon Hugh Page Jr.
Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., president, and Rev. Canon Hugh Page Jr., vice president for institutional transformation and advisor to the president, invite all members of the Notre Dame community to participate in Walk the Walk Week 2023.
Full 2022 Candlelight Prayer Service
The annual MLK Day Candlelight Prayer Service brought members of the Notre Dame community together to reflect on Dr. King's legacy and pray for an end to racism, inequality, and injustice in our communities, nation, and world.
2022 Walk the Walk Week Panel: Building the "Beloved Community" at Notre Dame
Members of the Notre Dame community attended a student-focused panel discussion sponsored by the Office of the President in collaboration with Student Government. "Walk the Walk: Building the 'Beloved Community' at Notre Dame" discussed Dr. King's vision for the "Beloved Community" and considered the actions we can take, individually and collectively, to build such a community here at Notre Dame.
2022: A Message from Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. introduces Walk the Walk Week 2022 and invites the campus community to participate.
