Approximately 75 people gathered in Middlebury College Park on Jan. 20, a brisk Monday, to honor the enduring legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The event — titled “Flights to Freedom” and taking place on the same day as President Donald Trump’s inauguration — was a collaborative effort organized by the Anderson Freeman Resource Center, the Center for Community Engagement (CCE) and the Charles P. Scott Center for Spiritual and Religious Life.
“I think we’re really fortunate this year that it was a collaborative effort across a number of different centers,” said Jason Duquette-Hoffman, assistant director of the Privilege & Poverty Academic Cluster at the CCE and the event organizer. “We’re all motivated to do something both within our capacity and meaningful.”
Duquette-Hoffman delivered opening remarks, setting the tone for an event that seeks to transcend the boundaries of Middlebury College, drawing in members from the wider community.
“There was a shared commitment to making this a broader community event and not just something that we do on Middlebury’s campus,” Duquette-Hoffman added. “It was nice to be able to see that through.”
The program began with readings from Dr. King’s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech delivered by two students from Oratory Now.
“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality,” one student read. King’s words resonated across the park, reminding the audience of the enduring relevance of his message.
Antonio “Naunau” Baker-Médard, program coordinator of the CCE’s Projects for Peace, followed with a performance of his original song “Freedom.” Written seven years ago, the song is a poignant reflection on his personal experiences from his homeland, Madagascar.
“I’m from Madagascar, a developing country, one of the biggest islands with tons of resources, but unfortunately because of neocolonialism, the country has never gone far economically,” Baker-Médard shared. “There seems [to be] a lack of freedom for the people of Madagascar to express themselves because of the corruption of politicians and the power of the countries of the [global] north.”
As Baker-Médard strummed his guitar and sang, the audience joined in to sing in support of his voice.
Adding to the musical offerings, the Middlebury Union High School (MUHS) choir also performed a song after the event coordinators had contacted them last Wednesday.
“We put it together quickly, and it was fun to see how many people were interested in our choir,” said Annan Duquette-Hoffman, a current sophomore at MUHS.
“It’s an empowering experience to go to one of these events. You don’t often get to be involved in events like this because it’s such a small town, but when there’s one around, it’s really the best. It felt amazing to be part of it,” fellow choir member Greta Suter added.
The event also featured an art installation made of paper cranes, a symbol of peace and hope. The installation, set to be displayed at Davis Library, invited attendees to contribute by folding their own cranes. Community members can continue to participate by donating cranes at the Ilsley Library or Davis Library.
As the event drew to a close, attendees lingered, engaging in conversations and reflecting on the themes of the day. As global and national challenges continue to test the resilience of communities, the attendees said that events like “Flights to Freedom,” despite their small scale, not only push Middlebury to reflect on ways to address historical injustice but also serve as vital reminders of the importance of coming together to honor the past while envisioning a more equitable future.
“It’s about giving us our freedom to live freely, to enjoy our country, to benefit from our country,” Baker-Médard said, capturing the spirit of the event. “Dr. King’s legacy reminds us that the fight for freedom and justice is universal, and it’s a fight that continues today.”
Caroline (Xiaoyuan) Jiao (she/her) is a News Editor.
Caroline was previously a contributing writer for The Campus. She spent the summer of 2024 interning as a news reporter at the Addison Independent, covering local county events. She also worked as a Narrative Journalism Fellow during the 2023-2024 academic year, making podcasts from student interviews.
Caroline is a Literary Studies major. She calls Beijing, China home, and she enjoys the tight-knit community of the town of Middlebury. One can often find her in proximity to the knoll or cooking with friends, and she takes pride in a Chinese-language literary magazine she and her friends are running.
