College to Host MLK Day Keynote on ‘Building the Beloved Community’ 

Bellevue College will mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a keynote address exploring how to build the just, compassionate society that Dr. King envisioned. The event, “Beloved Community: Building One Hope, One Humanity,” takes place on Wednesday, Jan. 14, in the Gary Locke Ballroom (U Building) and is free and open to the public. 

The program begins at 12 PM with a light lunch, followed by welcome remarks at 12:45 PM from Dr. David May, president of Bellevue College. The keynote address will take place from 1 to 2 PM. 

Jazmyn Clark, Smart Justice Policy Program Director at the ACLU of Washington, will deliver the keynote. Clark leads statewide efforts to reduce mass incarceration, end the criminalization of poverty, and dismantle systems that perpetuate racial inequity. A former public defender and civil rights litigator, she brings frontline experience to questions of justice, dignity, and structural change. 

The event invites students, faculty, staff, and community members to reflect on Dr. King’s vision of the “beloved community,” a society where conflict is resolved peacefully, everyone is valued, and shared responsibility guides collective action, and consider how that vision informs today’s work toward equity and belonging. 

“Dr. King’s vision of the beloved community challenges us to see one another’s humanity and to take responsibility for the systems that shape our lives,” said Adria Harris, the college’s Dean of Access and Student Achievement. “This keynote creates space for our campus to reflect, learn, and engage with what justice and belonging look like in practice today.” 

The program reflects Bellevue College’s ongoing commitment to access, equity, and student success, continuing the college’s tradition of observing Martin Luther King Jr. Day through education, dialogue, and community engagement. 

“Hosting this conversation is part of how Bellevue College lives its mission,” Harris added. “By bringing voices like Jazmyn Clark’s to campus, we connect Dr. King’s legacy to the real work of building opportunity, dignity, and hope for all members of our community.” 

Event Details 

What: Beloved Community: Building One Hope, One Humanity 
Who: Jazmyn Clark, Smart Justice Policy Program Director, ACLU of Washington 
When: Noon to 2 PM, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026 
Where: Gary Locke Ballroom, 3rd floor, U Building, Bellevue College 
Parking: Visitor Parking is $3 per day. Purchase online. 
Admission: Free and open to the public