Viterbo marks Martin Luther King holiday with yearly program of music and messages

Pastor Dr. Alexander Gee was the keynote speaker Viterbo University’s traditional celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Gee leads the Center for Black Experience and Culture in Madison.

He suggested during Monday’s speech at the Viterbo Fine Arts Center that the stresses resulting from racial inequity in the U.S. may be leading to higher illness rates among black people, including members of his family.

“I want people to understand that when we don’t eradicate the stress of race and racism and racialized living in our society, ” Gee said, “it’s killing a group of people who have built this country, and helped it to be what it is.”

Gee added that educating others about experiences of black people has helped create programs in his community focusing on black innovation, leadership development and black artistic expression.

“In two years, I was able to create an entity where the black community would shape this vision,” he said, “and our non-black partners helped me raise 25 million dollars, in two years.

Organizers of the King Day program at Viterbo also gave a leadership award to Will Van Roosenbeek, director of the Pride Center at UW-La Crosse and presented a scholarship to Onalaska High School student E’mya Martin.