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By Darryl Gangloff

The Hotchkiss community came together on Monday, Jan. 19, for a full day of learning and conversation in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Centered on the theme “Democracy as a Beloved Community,” workshops and discussions invited students and faculty to engage with King’s vision of democracy as both an aspiration and a shared responsibility.

The day began with an All-School Program in Walker Auditorium featuring a keynote address by Timothy Patrick McCarthy, an award-winning scholar, educator, and human rights defender who has taught at Harvard University since 1998. He framed the significance of the day not as a moment frozen in history, but as a living challenge. (Watch a recording of the keynote below.)

“I’m here today because I believe in my bones that Dr. King’s life and legacy matter in different ways to all of us,” McCarthy said. “I am here because I believe that we can learn a great deal from the lessons that Dr. King and his generation of freedom fighters left for us.”

He emphasized that democracy is unfinished work. “This nation and our world need more loving critics like Dr. King, people who are willing to question the status quo and speak truth about the injustices of our own time, precisely because we are so deeply committed to building a world together that we can all share freely, equally, and peacefully,” he said.

“It's this loving criticism that King and so many others represent that helps us get to the beloved community,” he continued. “But the beloved community is not just coming. It's not waiting for us. It doesn't exist yet. It's something we have to work for.”

Ashley Aluko, Walter Crain fellow, co-director of pluralism and community, and instructor in history, then joined McCarthy on stage for a fireside chat. “What does it mean to practice democracy daily rather than simply believe in it?” she asked her former professor. “Democracy is how we treat one another within the society that we’re sharing and we’re trying to change and build for the better,” he answered. He also mentioned voting, staying engaged, asking tough questions, and being good neighbors.

Workshops and Reflections

Following the keynote, students moved into a wide range of nearly 20 workshops that explored democracy, justice, identity, storytelling, science, ethics, food, athletics, and activism. Some classrooms focused on discussions of the Constitution and mapping voting districts. In the new Dining Commons, students learned how to cook southern cuisine. In the only student-led session of the day, attendees talked about the life of Fannie Lou Hamer, a leader of the Civil Right Movement. The Songs for Smiles club also organized a performance featuring student musicians at Noble Horizons, a retirement community in Salisbury, CT.

“Today’s speaker and programming reminded me how one person’s voice can inspire change and leave a lasting legacy,” Pahal Bhasin ’26 told The Hotchkiss Record.

Dorm-based conversations in the afternoon allowed students to reflect personally on what they had heard and experienced throughout the day. Representatives from each dorm then shared their thoughts in Katherine M. Elfers Hall during a closing ceremony, which featured speeches by Head of School Craig W. Bradley and Jason Larson, director of religious and spiritual life and instructor in philosophy and religion.

“Democracy is not a spectator sport. It’s about participation,” Bradley told the crowd before dozens of students headed to the microphone to share their reflections.

One student said, “Today we gathered together in our dorm's Common Room and had a great discussion about how, in our residential community, we all affect each other in our actions. We each share responsibility of lifting one another and making others feel safe. I want to carry the responsibility of leading quietly in my own communities, like my dorm, clubs, and sports teams. Everyone should be treated with fairness and respect, and that starts with me and you.”