ϲ hosted its 41st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Observance on January 29 in the Big Blue Room at Chartway Arena. Dwight S. Riddick II, Ph.D., and Jennell Whitfield Riddick, Ph.D., were the keynote speakers at the event, holding a community conversation titled “Building the Beloved Community,” while Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities President and CEO Jonathan C. Zur received the 2026 Hugo A. Owens Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Award. Photos by Chuck Thomas/ϲ.
Keynote speakers Jennell Whitfield Riddick, Ph.D. (left), and Dwight S. Riddick II, Ph.D., host a community conversation titled “Building the Beloved Community” at ϲ’s 41st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Observance on January 29. Photo Chuck Thomas/ϲ
Jennell Whitfield Riddick, Ph.D. (center) speaks to Master of Ceremonies Cathy Lewis, while Dwight S. Riddick II, Ph.D., listens on at ϲ’s 41st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Observance on January 29. Photo Chuck Thomas/ϲ
Alicia Peoples (center) and others listen to speakers at ϲ’s 41st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Observance in the Big Blue Room at Chartway Arena. Photo Chuck Thomas/ϲ
Master of Ceremonies Cathy Lewis (left) shares a light moment with keynote speakers Dwight S. Riddick II, Ph.D., and Jennell Whitfield Riddick, Ph.D., at ϲ’s 41st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Observance on January 29. Photo Chuck Thomas/ϲ
Joel Rubin (left) and Rev. Dr. Antipas Harris have a conversation during ϲ’s 41st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Observance on January 29 in the Big Blue Room at Chartway Arena. Photo Chuck Thomas/ϲ
Jonathan C. Zur (center), president and CEO of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, receives the 2026 Hugo A. Owens Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Award, standing alongside Hugo Owens Jr. (left) and ϲ President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D. Photo Chuck Thomas/ϲ
Jonathan C. Zur, president and CEO of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, speaks on January 29 at ϲ’s 41st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Observance. Photo Chuck Thomas/ϲ
Jonathan C. Zur, president and CEO of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, speaks on January 29 at ϲ’s 41st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Observance. He was this year’s recipient of the Hugo A. Owens Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Award. Photo Chuck Thomas/ϲ
Keynote speakers Jennell Whitfield Riddick, Ph.D. (left), and Dwight S. Riddick II, Ph.D., host a community conversation titled “Building the Beloved Community” at ϲ’s 41st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Observance on January 29. Photo Chuck Thomas/ϲ
Jennell Whitfield Riddick, Ph.D. (center) speaks to Master of Ceremonies Cathy Lewis, while Dwight S. Riddick II, Ph.D., listens on at ϲ’s 41st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Observance on January 29. Photo Chuck Thomas/ϲ
Alicia Peoples (center) and others listen to speakers at ϲ’s 41st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Observance in the Big Blue Room at Chartway Arena. Photo Chuck Thomas/ϲ
Master of Ceremonies Cathy Lewis (left) shares a light moment with keynote speakers Dwight S. Riddick II, Ph.D., and Jennell Whitfield Riddick, Ph.D., at ϲ’s 41st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Observance on January 29. Photo Chuck Thomas/ϲ
Joel Rubin (left) and Rev. Dr. Antipas Harris have a conversation during ϲ’s 41st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Observance on January 29 in the Big Blue Room at Chartway Arena. Photo Chuck Thomas/ϲ
Jonathan C. Zur (center), president and CEO of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, receives the 2026 Hugo A. Owens Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Award, standing alongside Hugo Owens Jr. (left) and ϲ President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D. Photo Chuck Thomas/ϲ
Jonathan C. Zur, president and CEO of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, speaks on January 29 at ϲ’s 41st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Observance. Photo Chuck Thomas/ϲ
Jonathan C. Zur, president and CEO of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, speaks on January 29 at ϲ’s 41st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Observance. He was this year’s recipient of the Hugo A. Owens Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Award. Photo Chuck Thomas/ϲ