Multicultural Reception, Community Events Celebrate MLK Day 2022 in DSM
A Multicultural Reception produced by the Greater Des Moines Partnership and hosted by the City of West Des Moines, Des Moines University, West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce, West Des Moines Community Schools and West Des Moines Historical Society will take place from 3 – 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 17 at the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex in West Des Moines.
Most businesses offer MLK Day as a paid holiday, but to honor the contributions and legacy of Dr. King alive we are also encouraged to use this time off to engage in community service.
Multicultural receptions are a great way to meet people from diverse backgrounds to continue learning about people who are different than us, their experiences and build cultural competency and allyship.
The program will include a roundtable discussion at 3 p.m., designed for deep-dive conversations around DEI topics, as well as a West Des Moines MLK Day celebration at 4 p.m. with a proclamation by Mayor Russ Trimble, scholarship and leadership awards, a performance by Hadley Harvey, a dancer at Devine Dancers Studio, and a closing keynote from the City of West Des Moines’ Audrey Kennis. The roundtable discussion topics will also allow participants to dig deeper into a variety of DEI topics to continue your learning around DEI.
This program is open to the public and free to attend. Appetizers and beverages will be provided.
Learn more or register for the event here.
Other Events + Resources
Looking for more MLK Day resources? Find out more about this official day of service that celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life here.
An MLK Brunch celebration will be held Saturday, Jan. 15 at 11 a.m. The event will be hosted by The Garden Restaurant and Show Lounge at 525 E Grand Ave. in Des Moines. Tickets for the celebration can be purchased at grdn.com.
The YMCA of Greater Des Moines will also host the 9th annual MLK Jr. Prayer Breakfast, a virtual celebration celebrating contributions to social justice throughout Iowa. That event will be held from 7:30 until 9:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 17 on Zoom. Register here.
Also on Monday, Jan. 17, a Day of Service virtual event will be hosted by Community Youth Concepts at 10 a.m. on Zoom, with an in-person event at 1 p.m. at King Elementary, 1849 Forest Ave. in Des Moines. Learn more and register here or email mollie@cyconcepts.org.
Greater Des Moines (DSM) welcomes diverse talent to the region. As one of the fastest growing business communities, inclusion and attracting diverse talent in the workplace is a key strategy of the Greater Des Moines Partnership. Learn more here.
The Greater Des Moines Partnership calendar of events is a one-stop resource for activities taking place throughout the region. Find networking information for Greater Des Moines (DSM) businesses or events specific to Downtown DSM.