Starting at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, January 18, 2021, Martin Luther King Jr. Day at UIU will feature a full array of speakers, stories, and entertainment. All students, faculty and staff are invited to participate by viewing the live streams of each event right here.
Welcome to our event honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. titled Dr. Martin Luther King: His Dream Is Still Alive In Every One of Us.
The MLK Jr. Day Committee met with the intention to not only address all that’s going on in our world currently, but to have speakers who can inspire hope, faith, passion, light, a desire to serve, and the courage to drive progress in our students, faculty and staff alike. I truly believe this has been accomplished.
You will hear from some of the most inspiring people we’ve had the pleasure of getting to know. Most of our speakers are connected to Upper Iowa and have made a tremendous impact within their communities. Each of them celebrates and attributes their successes in life to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Every speaker has a truly inspiring story to tell. But we don’t stop there, with two amazing spoken word poets who will tell their stories and bring you into their world through their art.
I am sincerely grateful to the entire MLK Day Committee for all their hard work and dedication to ensure the Upper Iowa Community gets the most out of this day and is inspired to go out and do good.
MLK Jr. Day Subcommittee Head
Talent Acquisition and Outreach Specialist - Waterloo Schools
Joy Briscoe is a consummate diversity, equity and inclusion professional; as an Air Force veteran with more than 15 years of experience in developing culturally inclusive programming. She is currently the Talent Acquisition and Outreach Specialist for Waterloo Schools where her role is to increase the amount of staff of color, develop Grow Your Own talent programming while also supporting the Waterloo Career Center on equity strategies to attract and retain underrepresented students and fostering business engagement. A master of innovation and the professional pivot, Joy has hosted multiple virtual team building retreats to develop skills to improve communication and team work, manage conflict, align business activities to organizational vision and values, and leverage diversity.
Prior to working at the district, Joy led the YWCA of Black Hawk County in its mission to eliminate racism and empower women as the Marketing and Development Director. There she was responsible for the first Cedar Valley Stand Against Racism campaign in conjunction with 650 community organizations across 44 states in the United States; as well as revitalizing marketing materials to meet YWCA “On A Mission” national branding campaign.
Joy is the creator of several initiatives aimed at reducing disparity for underserved populations with entrepreneurship, leadership and innovation in response to her community being designated as one of the top five cities in the US for Blacks. Her philosophy is the conversation on diversity, inclusion and retention cannot be addressed without a commitment to resources and access. In this vein, she is the co-founder of Inclusion Cedar Valley, the Cedar Valley Fashion Art and Culture Expo, SHIPHT Youth Opportunity Accelerator, the Minority Business and Entrepreneurship Accelerator and the 24/7 Black Leadership Advancement Consortium. Joy is an Upper Iowa alum with a degree in graphic design, a minor in marketing and a certification in communication.
Owner - The Soul Book Nook, LLC
Amber Collins is the owner of the Healing Source and the Soul Book Nook, both bookstores that opened this summer. The Soul Book Nook is the first Black-owned bookstore registered in the state of Iowa.
Before opening her bookstores, Collins worked at a nonprofit she founded to address the needs of at-risk school-age youths through in-school and after-school programming.
Read more about Amber here.
Additional Resources:
President - Baton Rouge NAACP Chapter and UIU alum
I started my work in the community at an early age. At sixteen years old, I volunteered to clear vacant lots on the weekends that added to crime. By the age of eighteen, I began serving the East Baton Rouge District 6 school improvement team.
Through this effort, I had the opportunity to work with various under privileged youth. Quickly I saw the need for improvement in neighborhood schools. In addition to my work with the District 6 school improvement team, I also served as the coach for the neighborhood’s basketball team and as a mentor to local youth.
My professional career began at The Baton Rouge AIDS Society. I made the most of the opportunity provided to me, and was later promoted to the position of Education and Prevention Coordinator. After a year of service, I was promoted to Director of Education and Prevention.
I would then transition to the position of STD/HIV Prevention Contract Monitor for the Louisiana Department of Health’s Region 2service area, within the public health sector, where I served faithfully for close to a decade. During my time in public health, I also chaired the Mayor’s Advisory Council on AIDS.
In recent years, I’ve begun to extend my reach into our community by becoming a member of The 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge. In less than a year’s time, I was promoted to chair our organization’s Health and Wellness Committee. During my time with The 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge, I’ve organized several efforts to reach youth in our community, as well as become a certified youth mentor.
In addition to my professional achievements, I’ve served as a volunteer football coach for the Baton Rouge Raptors for close to a decade. With the Raptors, I’ve worked to keep at-risk youth off the streets by giving them a positive outlet. I also serve as Assistant Pastor at Real Life Ministries, in addition to being a loving father.
Adjunct faculty member and author of “African Students and Their Determination for Education: African Student and Education”
The author explains the story features Lukuman and Fatai, two young brothers from a Nigerian village called Igbogila. The siblings come from a large family living in a jungle where the roaring of lions and trumpeting of elephants is commonplace. Obtaining enough food to survive through hunting and growing is a daily struggle. Every day after school, the two brothers join their parents in the jungle to cultivate cocoa seeds, which they sell to the coffee traders who often visit their village. They use the money to buy school uniforms, books and school supplies. Although the work is hard, Lukuman and Fatai are determined to gain an education, and their efforts pay off, showing that we can achieve goals that seem impossible when we refuse to be stopped.
Currently, the author serves as captain chief of operations within the Baton Rouge City Constable office along with teaching criminal justice and other related project courses at the UIU-Baton Rouge Center. A veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, Jimoh has worked in law enforcement approximately 15 years. Formerly serving as the constable’s judicial enforcement sergeant, his duties have also included serving as a fusion liaison officer, defensive tactics instructor, director of the Baton Rouge Reserve Academy, and as a member of the Delta Task Force, Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force and Infragard. He and his wife, Lydia, have five daughters.
Earning an advanced degree in criminal Justice to further strengthen his abilities as a professor, Jimoh said, “I believe I can make a huge difference in students’ lives by passing on my experience, especially in training and task force operations and other aspect of law enforcement. I really enjoyed teaching and being community oriented.”
African Students and Their Determination for Education: African Student and Education is currently available on Amazon. A portion of the proceeds goes toward the building of a Baton Rouge community activity center’s after-school tutorial program. Any remaining funds will go toward the purchase of school buses in Africa.
Vietnam War Veteran and Adjunct Professor at Southern University
EDUCATION
MILITARY SERVICE
FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS
CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS
HONORS
13-year-old child prodigy in Physics and Mechanical Engineering and Author
Elijah J. D. Precciely is… • A 13-year-old child prodigy and native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana • Noted as first attending classes at Southern University at age 8 • An author of his first book, MISSION CHRISTIAN: GOD’S GOT FIRSTS! at 10 years old • An Inventor with 5 patents pending • A Licensed Minister of the Gospel • Currently a Talk Show Host of his own RadioVision broadcast, “Word of Faith”, heard LIVE on WTQT 106.1 FM and FACEBOOK LIVE • The Founder and CEO of his own business, ELIJAH J. D. PRECCIELY ENTERPRISES, INC. in 2018 • The youngest recipient of the prestigious Joseph S. Clark Presidential Scholarship Award • The youngest full-time student enrolled in Southern University and A&M College History, as well as all HBCUs, maintaining a 4.0 and above GPA from the age of 11 • A double major concentrating his studies in PHYSICS and MECHANICAL ENGINEERING • Founder of the G. L. O. W. for Knowledge Challenge (Giving Life-Learners Opportunities of Wealth for Knowledge) Outreach. Empowering youth from the cradle to college to increase in a wealth of knowledge • Active in community promotion events and outreach. • The youngest inducted into the Delores Margaret Richard Spikes Honors College at Southern University; The Louisiana Collegiate Honors Council (LCHC); The National Association of African American Honors Programs (NAAAHP); The Southern Regional Honors Council (SRHC); and The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) • The President of Society of Physics Students and member of the National Society of Black Physicist • Member of American Society of Mechanical Engineers and National Society of Black Engineers • The President of the North Baton Rouge Jr. Chamber of Commerce • The President of the Elect Generation of God • The brother to 2 sisters and is the youngest child of Pastor Stephen and Pamela Precciely of Baton Rouge • Featured with o Good Morning America The Advocate o Christian Life Today Magazine BET Noted Network o HBCU Digest Essence Magazine o WAFB-CBS News WBRZ-ABC News o The Cartoon Network WGMB-FOX News o Ebony Magazine Afro World Louisiana and many others • Engaged in University Research with Accredited Doctorate Professors in five main areas: Physics, Agriculture, Biology, Chemistry, and Engineering (Physics and Chemistry with Next Generation Composites Centers for Research in Science and Technology (CREST) with SU and LSU)
Executive Director - UNI-CUE
Educational Opportunity Programs & Special Community Services
Constable - City of Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Terrica L. Williams was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and is the youngest of four siblings. She is a graduate of Glen Oaks Senior High School. Terrica is a member of Capital Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Robertson.
She has dedicated 15 years of her professional career to enforcing the laws of this great city. Her career in law enforcement began as a Sheriff’s Deputy at the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office. She graduated in the 162nd Basic Training Academy. While at the Sheriff’s Office, Ms. Williams worked in the Criminal Investigative Unit, Courtroom Security, in Communications and at Parish Prison. She also worked for the Baton Rouge City Constable’s Office where she was named the first female Sergeant to operate the City Jail. Before climbing the ranks to Sergeant, she worked closely with the youth of our community as a D.A.R.E. instructor. In this position she was recognized and praised with the Most Outstanding Team Player Award. Ms. Williams also worked part time in the Public Defender’s Office as an investigator. Ms. Williams has a passion for giving back to her community. She aids the homeless by preparing and serving hot meals and organizing toy drives and school supply banks for the underprivileged youth of the city; all of which is done at her own expense. She has also worked as a Bail Bond agent for 4 years.
Terrica Williams offered herself as a candidate for City Constable in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; on December 8, 2018 she was elected with 57% of the vote, making her not only one of the youngest Constables but also the first female Constable in the history of the office.
Founder of Stories to Tell My Daughter
Teresa Zilk attended UIU and plays an active role as an alumna member of Phi Beta Delta, a sorority that started back in 1992 here at UIU.
Teresa is the creator, producer, and curator of Stories to Tell My Daughter, a storytelling experience that centers the lived experiences of African American women and women of color. Teresa has been a featured presenter for the We Lead Women’s Conference at Iowa State University, has led storytelling workshops, has been a guest on several podcasts, has spoken at area colleges and has been profiled by the Des Moines Business Record and Iowa Public Radio.
She is a frequent panelist and advocate for mental health and a public speaker. She is the owner of Teresa Zilk Creative Consulting.
Read More: Using the Power of Art to Create Empathy and Change
Read More: Stories to Tell My Daughter
Spoken word artist, author, slam coach, battle rapper
Breeze The Poet is a spoken word artist/ author/slam coach/battle rapper from Richmond VA. He is a professional artist that has performed all over the country including venues such as The Broward Center for Performing Arts and the historic Apollo Theater.
He is the current Individual World Poetry Slam Champion (2019), the National Poetry Slam Champion w/SlamCharlotte (2018), the Rustbelt Regional INDIE Slam Champion(2019), and the current King of the South Regional Slam Champion (2012-2016/2018/2019).
Spoken word artist and writer
Kyla Jenee, an accomplished third person bio composer, is the daughter of two very lucky parents, for not only is she their favorite daughter, she is also their only daughter. As a gifted fetus, her accomplishments were being a prized amniotic swimmer, and eater; she weighed in at a mere 10lbs, 7oz, at her much celebrated birth. The nurse, marveling out this huge ass baby paraded her around the hospital, because well, she was ridiculously big, and back then, they didn’t care nearly as much about communicable diseases.
Kyla pays most of her bills via her writing, which includes, but is not limited to, spoken word, and blogging. Her spoken word has garnered millions of views, and has been showcased on Afropunk, George Takei, Write About Now, All Def Digital, and Occupy Democrats, and Golden Mic TV. She has performed spoken word at over 200 colleges in over 40 states. Kyla has been a finalist in the largest regional poetry slam in the country, no less than 4 times, and was nominated as Campus Activities Magazine Female Performer of the Year. She has written for large publications such as the Huffington Post, BET.com, and the Root Magazine and is the author of “Hickory Dickory Dock, I Do Not Want Your C*ck!!!,” a book of tongue-in-cheek poems, about patriarchy…for manchildren.
She is owned by two black cats, Kit and Kaboodle, feels that recycling is something so simple, that even a cave man could do it, is a semi-vegetarian because she has commitment issues, loves Chuck Taylors and Thai Food, arts and crafts, men who look good in suits…and poems, and wants to be a kid when she grows up.
