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Reflecting on the words of prominent figures in history can present opportunities to discover new perspectives and have important discussions surrounding social issues.  

This is exactly what happened at the recent event 100 Plates: Empowering Wellness in Beloved Community organized by the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Events Committee. The 100 Plates event is inspired by 500 Plates, an Akron community meal and discussion hosted in 2015.

Students, staff and faculty gathered to hear various speakers and have in-depth discussions about Martin Luther King Jr. focusing on wellness while providing a safe and welcoming environment for these discussions.

The event was kicked off by Community Engaged Learning Academic Program Officer, Kalena Speicher, giving guests a brief rundown of the intentions for the day of discussion.  

����ɫ��ҹ Today attended the event held in Oscar Ritchie Hall’s multipurpose room on Jan. 29. The event began with attendees sharing a meal.  

The goal of the event was to bring attention to the importance of wellness, particularly in the context of social injustices. Speakers encouraged guests to reflect on wellness aspects in their lives, such as emotional and spiritual well-being based on the words and thoughts of Martin Luther King Jr.  

Marquis Davis, director of access, belonging and engagement in the College of the Arts, led a discussion based on King’s views, specifically the term “maladjustment.”

“He talks about the focus on identification and alterations. Diagnoses and treatment of negative thinking and feeling about the world,” Davis said. “But then his understanding of it is from an ethical-based analysis.”  

Davis said King preached that people will experience psychological pain and other maladjustments for as long as injustice persists. Davis then discussed ways this pain connects to wellness by asking the audience to evaluate their emotions. 

“He’s talking about this from a psychological standpoint, like the alteration diagnosed treatments and negative thinking,” Davis said. “Who has felt some type of negativity over the last week, who has felt a little bit stressed in the last seven days? Have we felt hopeful or hopeless? Two opposing things can be true at the same time.”  

Davis emphasized how contrasting feelings can exist simultaneously.

Throughout the wellness discussion while speakers transitioned, Executive Director of Learning, Engagement and Belonging, Katie Matisse, spoke with guests about resources available such as Counseling and Psychological Services and ����ɫ��ҹ of Well-Being.  

The experience brought together many individuals from ����ɫ��ҹ. One attendee, psychology graduate student Mi'Kaila Henderson, took part in planning this event.  

“I just want to be around like-minded people who share similar ideas as me and have a conversation about how the world is going and how we can enact change,” she said.  

Henderson said that one of the moments that stood out to her from attending the event was the conversations that occurred.

“The conversations we had and the activities, sharing about the current events and the emotions associated with some of those events that are playing out today,” she said. “I think it brought awareness to me of how real things are in the world.”  

The event concluded with a recap from Faith Sheaffer-Polen, director of learning and development in the Division of People, Culture and Belonging, highlighting the importance of the discussions that took place.  

Shana Lee, assistant dean of students and director of parent and family engagement, led participants in a wellness audit to reflect on their emotions and feelings from the conversations, focusing on strategies that can not only support individual wellness but also community wellness. 

Learn more about the Division of People, Culture and Belonging.