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Martin Luther King Jr. Initiative

The MLK Initiative: Let Freedom Ring! invites students, faculty and staff to participate in a range of events that celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Coach John Thompson Jr. holds up his right palm and left thumb in front of Georgetown basketball players raising their arms in celebration in a faded photo

Legacy of a Dream Award

The John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award — named for the legendary Georgetown head basketball coach, Washington, DC, native, mentor, advocate and community leader — is awarded each year to an individual or group that has demonstrated outstanding service in the District in Georgetown’s Catholic and Jesuit tradition of being people for others.

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Paula Thompson, CEO and president of Voices for a Second Chance, stands on the steps outside the door to her office's home-like headquarters.

2025 Legacy of a Dream Awardee: Paula C. Thompson, Voices for a Second Chance

Paula C. Thompson is the president and CEO of Voices for a Second Chance, a nonprofit that provides reentry support and resources to individuals navigating incarceration and reintegration. Paula has dedicated her career to dismantling barriers to reentry and creating transformative pathways for individuals returning to society.

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Past Recipients

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Georgetown Honors DC Leader Who Gives Low-Income Immigrants a Fresh Start

Khari Brown

Georgetown Honors DC Leader Who Helps Low-Income Students Aim High with 2022 Legacy of a Dream Award

Khari Brown, a leader who’s helped hundreds of low-income students graduate and excel in the workforce, is this year’s recipient of Georgetown’s John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award.

Christopher Bradshaw

Georgetown Awards DC Leader for Making Food Equity More Than a Dream

Georgetown awards food justice advocate Christopher Bradshaw with the 2021 John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award for work through his Dreaming Out Loud nonprofit.

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Let Freedom Ring Celebration

Each year, Georgetown and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a free musical tribute. The annual concert features a headlining performance by a legendary musical artist and special music by Nolan Williams, Jr., music producer and commissioned composer.

About the Let Freedom Ring Celebration
Jordin Sparks, a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and actress, performs at the Let Freedom Ring Celebration on Jan. 15, 2024. Photo by Elman Studio.
Gladys Knight holds her hand up and closes her eyes as she sings into a microphone onstage
The 2017 concert featured seven-time Grammy Award-winning singer Gladys Knight.
Vanessa Williams wears a long black gown and sings in front of a choir
The 2018 concert featured awarding-winning actress and singer Vanessa L. Williams, whose brother, actor Christopher Williams, graduated from Georgetown in 1989.
Audra McDonald and Brian Stokes Mitchell wrap their arms around each other while singing into mics out to an audience
Two-time Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell and six-time Tony, two-time Grammy and one-time Emmy award winner Audra McDonald performed in 2019 (Photo: Alex Edelman)
Chaka Khan leans into her guitar and bass players while performing under purple light
Ten-time Grammy Award-winning singer Chaka Khan headlined the 2020 performance.
Leslie Odom, Jr., performs on stage during his performance at the Let Freedom Ring Celebration. Behind him is his band; one man is holding a bass. Leslie wears sunglasses and a long tan patterned coat over black pants and a black shirt.
Tony and Grammy Award-winning Leslie Odom Jr. joined the Let Freedom Ring Choir for the 2023 Let Freedom Ring Celebration.
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Community Events

Each year, Georgetown honors the enduring legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through a series of events on campus and in the greater Washington, DC, community that reflect the university’s Catholic and Jesuit values of contemplation in action, cura personalis — care of the person — and being people for others.

More About MLK Community Events