Jan. 24, 2025
Freedom March tradition of Ferris State’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration marches on in vintage wintry conditions
Ferris State University students and employees say they were not deterred by snow flurries and freezing temperatures on Thursday, Jan. 23, for the university’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom March.
“We take pride in being in events like this,” said Jamie Maximore, a Southfield native now in her last term of Dental Hygiene studies. “Rain, sleet or snow, we would be here.”
The march started in the Rankin Atrium of the David L. Eisler Center and rounded the Robinson Quad and Ferris Library for Information, Technology and Education.
Dean of Arts, Sciences and Education Randy Cagle arrived dressed for the weather, owing to his career history, including more than a decade of teaching and leadership at Minnesota State-Moorhead, near the North Dakota border.
“This is the right time to communicate our commitment to social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion, and anti-discrimination practices,” Cagle said. “I will always take part in this march.”
Maximore and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority sister Taliyah Garrett, a senior in Radiography from Muskegon, continued their commitment to the march and the ideals it represents.
“I am glad to join in the march and other outreach through our Zeta Rho chapter,” Garrett said. “Our sisters understand how important this is.”
Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion and Strategic Initiatives David Pilgrim offered a message to marchers before their trek onto campus, acknowledging the difficulty of upholding King’s legacy in the current political climate.
“Are we going to live out the Ferris Core Values of Diversity and Ethical Community?” Pilgrim wondered. “We can honor our ancestors by participating in this march. This year, it does feel a little more real.”
Following the Freedom March was a Trivia Night event co-sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Student Services and the Diversity and Inclusion office.
Ferris State’s Marthin Luther King Jr. Celebration schedule was delayed by frigid weather conditions until Wednesday, Jan. 22, with spoken-word performers joining Ferris alumnus and motivational speaker Mike Sears in an Eisler Center Ballroom presentation that afternoon.