Poet, journalist, activist is King Program speaker

The Office of Multicultural Student Services will host Kevin Powell as the 12th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Program speaker on January 23 at 6 p.m. in the Michel Student Center ballroom.

A poet, journalist, essayist, public speaker, hip-hop historian, political activist and TV, radio and Internet commentator, Powell is perhaps best known for his stint as a cast member on the first season of MTV's series The Real World.

Powell's articles, essays and reviews have appeared in a variety of publications including Newsweek, Code Essence, The Washington Post, and Vibe, where he worked as a senior writer for several years, interviewing prominent figures such as Colin Powell, feminist scholar Dr. Bell Hooks, Snoop-Dogg, Dr. Dre, Spike Lee, Aaliyah, Suge Knight, and the late Tupac Shakur.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call Frances Cotton at ext. 2646.