On Jan. 13, ASB and the Black Student Union (BSU) collaborated to bring the students of MTHS one of our best Martin Luther King Jr. assemblies yet.

The Dynamics’ rendition of “Rise” by Katy Perry, a symbolic performance from selected members from the drum line and a version of Martin Luther King Jr’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech from Khyree Armstead and Brianna Houtman highlighted the first part of the assembly.

King’s impact on society was the focus this year, a great change of pace from an assembly that features long winded videos and the facts that are typically taught in early grades.

The assembly featured the many talents of students and community members. BSU was able to bring in local activist and poet John Ekloff, who shared spoken word poetry about the untold life of Dr. King.

Senior Alex Ned shared an original poem that reflected her feelings about identity, as influenced by the current social and political climate.

Ekloff spoke about the sensitivity surrounding conversations about race and race relations, mentioning that when so many people of different races come together, issues are bound to surface.

A first at the assembly was the flag walk, which featured students and staff of many different nationalities, from Peru to Sri Lanka, displaying their representative flags. The American flag took center stage, reminding surveyors of the unity that MTHS wants to encourage.

After the assembly ended, I heard some students talking about how they regretted not representing their countries. This solidified something in my mind: representation is important. Without representation, students can feel as if they are alone or unappreciated. When students are allowed to organize and participate in an assembly that celebrates our differences, however, you empower them and encourage them to be proud of who they are.

Props also have to be given to our administration, for encouraging such a powerful and insightful assembly, and for not shying away from such sensitive topics.