Freedom was ringing yesterday in the Memorial Union at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 2015 Legacy Convocation.

The program honored members of the ISU community who are committed to the dream of creating a community that embraces justice and equality for all people. Keynote speaker, James “Jay” Bailey inspired and challenged the audience.

Pamela D. Anthony, Dean of Students Office, used words like “bold” and “purposeful” to describe Bailey.

Bailey graduated from the University of Georgia in 1999. His mother passed away when he was 19 years old and he quickly had to learn how to be an adult.

Bailey bought his first home the same year his mother died and had to worry about tuition, a mortgage and car notes while still attempting to be a normal college student. He was involved in his student government, leadership UGA and he was the president of his fraternity. He knew at a young age that relationships mattered and being involved was the key to make friends on campus.

“I knew that, I knew I needed to meet the kind of people who would help me out in the future,” Bailey said. “I knew that I took good advice from a mentor that said, ‘Jay, make friends before you need them.'”

Bailey is the CEO of the southeast division of Operation HOPE, Inc. Eight years ago, he began working with Operation HOPE. He was the only employee in the South.

“I had a vision of trying to create and make a difference in the South with the people I grew up with,” Bailey said.

The event also celebrated Dominique Williams, senior in hospitality management, and Jane Dusselier, Director of Asian American Studies and senior history lecturer, as the 2015 winners of the MLK Jr. Advancing One Community Award.

“[I was] totally blown away. I got the e-mail a few days ago … I was like, ‘oh my gosh.’ I didn’t know where the nominations came from. It has been kind of exciting to win,” Williams said.

Williams said Bailey’s lecture taught her a lot about local history.

“Amazing lecture, not knowing exactly what the role of Iowa State was … and how he [Bailey] brought it full-circle. Iowa State did really have an impact in the civil rights movement,” said Williams.

Kenyatta Shamburger, director of Multicultural Student Affairs, helped coordinate the event.

Shamburger said they tried to organize the event with a strong focus on the students, wanting to honor the life and legacy of King and putting King’s life in context for students.

King has been a huge inspiration for Bailey. Bailey was recognized by the White House as one of eight people for the Champion of Change for following the footsteps of Martin Luther King Jr.

“[King’s] messages of unity, his message of economic empowerment, his message of leadership and humility have been the blueprint of how to be successful, so he has been everything,” Bailey said. 

The lecture was part of a university series honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. The fourth and final event is at 7 p.m. on Jan. 29 in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union, where Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, will speak about racial discrimination in the United States and how it has resumed following the civil rights movements and is resulting in social consequences.