Gnimbin Ouattara, associate professor of history, reacts after receiving an African Print Wax cloth from Madia Cooper-Ashirifi, visiting assistanmt professor of dance, for a celebratory dance during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Convocation.
Gnimbin Ouattara, associate professor of history, reacts after receiving an African Print Wax cloth from Madia Cooper-Ashirifi, visiting assistant professor of dance, for a celebratory dance during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Convocation.

Convocation honors Martin Luther King Jr. with dancing, singing and guest speaker

Jan 20, 2017
Brenau Staff

Brenau University Women’s College students spent their lunch hour Thursday dancing and singing in celebration of the memory of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The 2017 Winter Convocation in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day was held in Pearce Auditorium and the theme was “United Toward the Dream.” It included performances by the Brenau Gospel Choir, dance students along with Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance Madia Cooper-Ashirifi, as well as visiting performer Kofi Mawuko. Students, staff, faculty and administration members joined together in a dance celebrating unity and promoting peace.

Brenau alumna Tomyka Chaney returned to her alma mater to act as keynote speaker for the event. Chaney is an award-winning Atlanta entrepreneur and business development partner with more than 20 years experience in her field. In 2009, Chaney founded Best BOOM! Strategies, a training and development firm that eases career transition for executives.

Chaney discussed King’s own role as a trainer and developer, and his skills that allowed him to change the world for the better. She challenged the students to harness their own skills, as King did, and to follow his lead.

“Dr. King was a great writer,” Chaney said. “His intellectual property was what allowed him to make a difference, and it is still part of his legacy. Being able to take a moment and truly articulate the times – how many of us do that? But we can all work on our hard skills, and like Dr. Martin Luther King did, we can all do the work, think outside the box and make a difference.”