Commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Dear UCI Law Community,
As we do annually, UCI Law commemorates MLK Day by reflecting on Dr. King’s social justice vision and how we are called upon collectively to live up to his work and aspirations in the present moment.
Dr. King taught us to fight like hell, even in the darkest of times, to keep the flickering flame of justice alight. In the face of all that we have witnessed in 2020 and in the dawn of 2021 – the continuing and relentless scourge of police violence against BIPOC individuals in the United States, the premature and disproportionate deaths of hundreds of thousands along race and class lines from COVID-19, our social isolation and the loss of communal life, the continued rise of violent white supremacist movements, the threats to the rule of law and our democracy – it is essential that we mirror the resilience and fearlessness of Dr. King and other civil rights champions.
Never more than now do we need lawyers dedicated to ethical excellence, the rule of law, and the advancement of social justice and the public good. At UCI Law, we continue to do our part to further ethical excellence in the legal profession through our unique curriculum, our pro bono opportunities, and our production of scholarship for the good of society. With everything we do, we aspire to live up to the life and work of Dr. King and the multitude of leaders and participants in the civil rights movement.
We have commemorated MLK day in years past by bringing our graduates and supporters home to the Law School for teaching panels on the most important issues of the day. We will do so again in January 2022. Until then, know that your Law School stands with you, as we continue to confront the challenges of our time, together.
Dean L. Song Richardson