University Events

Description: Kevin Powell, writer, humanitarian, and President of BK Nation will be the Keynote Speaker for the 14th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast. Kevin is one of the most acclaimed political, cultural, literary and hip-hop voices in America today. A native of Jersey City, raised by a single mother in extreme poverty, Kevin has gone on to be the author of 12 books, including his newest title, "The Education of Kevin Powell: A Boy's Journey into Manhood". It is a critically acclaimed and brutally honest memoir about his life, including his youth. Kevin's writings have also appeared in CNN.com, Esquire, Ebony, The Huffington Post, The Washington Post, Rolling Stone, The Guardian, ESPN.com and Vibe Magazine, where he worked for many years as a senior writer, interviewing such diverse public figures as Tupac Shakur and General Colin Powell.

Kevin routinely appears in interviews on television, radio, and in print and on the internet discussing major issues of our time. As an activist, he is the president and co-founder of BK Nation, a new national, progressive, multicultural organization focused on such issues as education, civic engagement, leadership training, health and wellness, social media, arts and culture, and job and small business creation.

As a humanitarian, Kevin's work includes local, national and international initiatives to end violence against women and girls (including a very well-regarded appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show highlighting domestic violence); and he has done extensive philanthropic and relief work, ranging from Hurricane Katrina to earthquakes in Haiti and Japan, to Superstorm Sandy in New York, to his annual holiday party and clothing drive for the homeless every December since 9/11.

For tickets, please call the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at 508-999-8008 or visit the Office at 324 Foster Administration Building.