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Martin Luther King Jr. Initiative

The MLK Initiative: Let Freedom Ring! invites students, faculty and staff to participate in a range of events that celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Coach John Thompson Jr. holds up his right palm and left thumb in front of Georgetown basketball players raising their arms in celebration in a faded photo

Legacy of a Dream Award

The John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award — named for the legendary Georgetown head basketball coach, Washington, DC, native, mentor, advocate and community leader — is awarded each year to an individual or group that has demonstrated outstanding service in the District in Georgetown’s Catholic and Jesuit tradition of being people for others.

Paula Fitzgerald, recipient of the 2023 John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award, stands with Georgetown President John J. DeGioia and two members of the late Coach Thompson's family at a reception event.

2023 Legacy of a Dream Awardee: Paula Fitzgerald, Ayuda

Paula Fitzgerald, Esq. is the executive director of Ayuda, a nonprofit that provides legal, social and language services to help low-income immigrants in the Washington, DC, area navigate the immigration and justice systems, heal from trauma and overcome language isolation.

More About Past Recipients

Christopher Bradshaw

Georgetown awards food justice advocate Christopher Bradshaw with the 2021 John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award for work through his Dreaming Out Loud nonprofit.

Sandra Jackson standing in front of some desks

Sandra Jackson, executive director of House of Ruth, will be honored as Georgetown’s 2020 John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award recipient Jan. 20 at the Kennedy Center for…

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Let Freedom Ring Celebration

Each year, Georgetown and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a free musical tribute. The annual concert features a headlining performance by a legendary musical artist and the Let Freedom Ring Choir — composed of Georgetown community members and led by music producer Nolan Williams Jr.

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Community Events

Each year, Georgetown honors the enduring legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through a series of events on campus and in the greater Washington, DC, community that reflect the university’s Catholic and Jesuit values of contemplation in action, cura personalis — care of the person — and being people for others.