GW Honors Martin Luther King Jr.’s Vision of Community during 31st Annual MLK Day of Service

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The George Washington University community honored the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday by gathering hundreds of volunteers for the 31st annual MLK Day of Service, organized by the Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service.

More than 700 volunteers gathered at Lisner Auditorium for an opening program that featured a discussion on faith, leadership and the importance of community before heading out to serve at nearly 20 organizations across Washington, D.C.

Amy Cohen,executive director of the Nashman Center, emphasized the importance of building community through direct engagement.

"We're building trust among us," Cohen said. "And building a path toward deeper relationships through which, with time and continued engagement, we can address deeper challenges and build greater joy."

Cohen introduced Jennifer Bastress Tahmasebi, interim CEO of AmeriCorps, who thanked volunteers for choosing service as a way to honor King's legacy.

"On this emotional day of service, you have chosen to show up and serve," Tahmasebi said. "Thank you for giving your time, your energy and your heart today."

Tahmasebi repeated King's quote, "Everybody can be great because anybody can serve."

She reminded volunteers that the work they do to help their community matters to the people whose lives are made a little bit better as a result of their service.

GW President Ellen Granbergsaid days of service play a key role in strengthening partnerships between GW and the broader D.C. community while helping students understand what it means to serve and work together to achieve a common goal.

"This day of service is special, of course, because it is tied to Dr. King's life of faith, courage, sacrifice and, above all, service to others," Granberg said. "It connects each one of us to Dr. King's legacy and his humanitarian ideals."

Granberg said that bringing Dr. King's vision of equality and justice to life is ongoing work that takes commitment, empathy and teamwork. She added that it's important to build a caring community both on campus and with neighbors across the city.

Granberg also highlighted GW's Humanitarian Internship Program, launched last year, as one example of how the university integrates service into the student experience. The program placed 20 students in summer internships with humanitarian organizations, providing hands-on opportunities to support vulnerable communities and address global challenges.

She said the program has been transformative for participants, with many now planning careers in the humanitarian field.

Granberg then introduced University Chaplain Kristen Glass Perez, who leads GW's Center for Interfaith and Spiritual Life.

Glass Perez moderated a panel discussion exploring the intersection of faith and service, focusing on King's interfaith legacy and the role of faith-based collaboration in the civil rights movement.

"Dr. King called people to love their neighbors, resist violence, and honor the dignity of every human being. Those values appear across faiths and robes, and they become most powerful when they are heard out together," Glass Perez said.

Panelists included members of the GW Council of Chaplains: Imam Talib Muttaqee Shareef of Masjid Muhammad; the Rev. Canon Leonard Hamlin Sr. of Washington National Cathedral; the Rev. Amitha Khema Thero of the Buddha Meditation Center of D.C.; Rabbi Daniel Novick of GW Hillel; and Father James Glasgow of the GW Newman Center.

Each speaker shared how service to others is an important aspect of each of their faiths and communities.

Novick spoke about the Jewish concept of "tikkun olam," meaning repairing the world. It is a Jewish tradition that views humanity as responsible for restoring what was broken at creation. He said service is not only about addressing visible problems but rebuilding social order and shared humanity through working together.

Glasgow said service within the Christian faith is rooted in the many examples of Jesus Christ, who preached that the "Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve." These examples of Christ as servant have become a kind of central idea within the Christian tradition that has shaped the lives of many of those who follow, Glasgow said.

Hamlin Sr. emphasized love as the foundation of social and racial justice work. He said love is an action that turns attention outward and calls people to truly see and care for others. Quoting King, Hamlin encouraged students to find the strength to love through their service.

Shareef said Islam emphasizes the connection between faith and action, explaining that service is how people live out their beliefs. He said faith is also how you show up and serving others reflects a shared humanity and responsibility to care for one another.

Thero said Buddhism teaches that no one is great or not great because of their birth, race or religion, but by their character and actions, thus reflecting on King's call to judge people by the content of their character.

Following the panel discussion, volunteers fanned out across Washington, D.C., heading to service sites throughout the city. Others remained on campus to participate in workshops focused on reflections on the meaning of MLK Day and navigating community challenges.

Photos below by GW Senior Photographer William Atkins and Florence Shen: