VANCOUVER, Wash. — Washington State University Vancouver next week celebrates the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. with several on-campus events.
As part of the festivities, the Kukatonon dancers will perform from 11:15 a.m.-noon. in the Student Services Building Lecture Hall. The troupe of 34 students from Portland’s Woodlawn Elementary School incorporates drums and African dances of celebration from a Liberian village into their performance. A remembrance time to honor Martin Luther King Jr. will follow the performance.
In addition to the dance performance, Student Services will present the Humanitarian Award to Omar Canaday, a recent graduate of WSU Vancouver who plans to continue on to medical school. Canaday was nominated by various individual members, including political leaders, an administrator from a local community college, a member of the medical profession and a member of the local clergy. Canaday, along with his sister Lucille, created the “All I Need Fund” and composed and performed the song “All I Need” on a self-produced compact disc. Their efforts were dedicated to the families of victims from the Sept. 11th tragedies. The Canadays traveled to New York and distributed 5,000 free CDs to firefighters and families that were touched by 9/11. The proceeds of their CD have currently raised more than $2,000 for the Firefighter’s Children Scholarship of New York.
The Student Services Humanitarian Award was created in 2001 to honor individuals who are making significant contributions to the community with their time, actions and dedication. WSU Vancouver students, alumni and organizations are eligible. Last year’s award was presented to Rico Selga, a 1999 nursing graduate, in recognition of his humanitarian efforts in Kosovo.
