Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation
Event Overview and Purpose
The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Convocation at UC Santa Cruz is an annual event that honors Dr. King’s legacy while addressing critical civil rights issues. This year’s Convocation brought together Santa Cruz community and campus members for a shared reflection on collective progress and the ongoing work toward a more equitable society. The event was a meaningful opportunity to connect with civic leaders, students, and members of the broader Santa Cruz community in discussions on how to continue Dr. King’s work in today’s world.
The 41st MLK Convocation featured an inspiring keynote address from Chamique Holdsclaw, a former WNBA star, Olympic gold medalist, and passionate mental health advocate. In her powerful address titled “Empowering Change: Carrying Dr. King’s Vision into the Future,” Chamique shared her personal journey of resilience, advocacy, and her unwavering commitment to mental health awareness. She reflected on Dr. King’s enduring vision of equality, justice, and opportunity, and how it continues to inspire individuals to pursue change and make an impact.
Throughout her keynote, Chamique drew from her experience as a trailblazer in sports and as an advocate for mental health as a fundamental human right. Her words resonated deeply, encouraging the community to dream boldly, act courageously, and continue fighting for a more inclusive and just world.
Our thanks to our community supporters and our host, the Kaiser Permanente Arena, for an unforgettable evening!
Highlights from the 41st annual convocation
Interview with Chamique Holdsclaw, 2025 Keynote Speaker
“Dr. King spoke of the ‘fierce urgency of now,’ and I want to emphasize that addressing mental health—especially in marginalized communities—is one of the most urgent civil rights issues of our time,” Holdsclaw said. “I hope my story inspires attendees to recognize the power of vulnerability and connection in overcoming life’s challenges.”
Past Convocation Speakers: 1985-2024
For over four decades, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation at UC Santa Cruz has welcomed a powerful range of speakers whose voices and visions continue to inspire our commitment to justice, equality, and collective action. From trailblazing activists and civil rights leaders to renowned scholars and cultural icons, these changemakers have helped shape critical conversations on our campus and in our community. Dive into our history of impactful speakers who have brought Dr. King’s legacy to life and continue to guide our path toward a more just and equitable world.
List of past UC Santa Cruz MLK Convocation Speakers:
2024: Bryant Terry, author, chef, activist, publisher
2023: Talithia Williams, professor of Mathematics and first Black woman to achieve tenure at Harvey Mudd College
2022: Ruha Benjamin, professor in the Department of African American studies at Princeton
2021: Mariame Kaba organizer, educator, curator, and prison industrial complex (PIC) abolitionist
2020: Charlene Carruthers, author, founder of Black Youth Project 100 (BYP100)
2019: Melissa Harris-Perry, professor, broadcast journalist, Maya Angelou Presidential Chair, founder and president of the Anna Julia Cooper Center
2018: Kimberlé Crenshaw, professor of law at UCLA and Columbia Law School
2017: Benjamin Jealous, former president and CEO of the NAACP
2016: Alicia Garza, civil rights activist, co-founder of #BlackLivesMatter
2015: Angela Davis, UCSC distinguished professor emerita of History of Consciousness and Feminist Studies
2014: Freeman A. Hrabowski, civil rights activist, researcher, educator
2013: Robert P. Moses, educator, civil rights activist, founder of the Algebra Project
2012: Nikki Giovanni, writer, commentator, activist, educator
2011: Terrence Roberts, civil rights activist, member of the “Little Rock Nine”
2010: Anna Deavere Smith, actress, playwright, professor
2009: Van Jones, founder, Green for All
2008: Julian Bond, chair, NAACP
2007: Maxine Waters, congressional representative
2006: Keith Beauchamp, filmmaker, The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till; and Angela Glover Blackwell, founder/CEO, PolicyLink
2005: Joseph E. Lowery, cofounder, Southern Christian Leadership Conference
2004: Yolanda King, activist, actress, daughter of MLK Jr.
2003: Rev. James Lawson, cofounder, Southern Christian Leadership Conference
2002: Alice Walker, author
2001: Kweisi Mfume, former congressperson, former chair of the NAACP
2000: Susan L. Taylor, editor-in-chief, Essence magazine
1999: Michael Eric Dyson, author, commentator, professor, Baptist minister
1998: Myrlie Evers-Williams, activist, former chair of the NAACP
1997: Cornel West, professor of African American studies and divinity, Harvard University
1996: Franklin A. Sonn, former South African ambassador to the United States
1995: bell hooks, UCSC alumna Ph.D. ’83, literature, author, celebrated feminist theorist, and activist
1994: Shirley Chisholm, first Black woman elected to Congress
1993: Tony Brown, journalist, author, PBS commentator
1992: Joe Hicks, former executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference
1991: Juan Williams, author, NPR correspondent
1990: Cicely Tyson, actress, activist
1989: Martin Luther King III, son of MLK Jr.
1988: Yolanda King, activist, actress, daughter of MLK Jr.
1987: Shirley Chisholm, first Black woman elected to Congress
1986: Tony Brown, journalist, author, PBS commentator
1985: Vincent Harding, Southern Freedom Movement, director of the MLK Memorial Center