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.
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.
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
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, 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…
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.
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.