'The Unfinished Quilt'
Dionne B. Jackson, Ed.D., to Headline the 2027 Delaware County MLK Celebration at Ohio Wesleyan, Tickets Available Now
DELAWARE, Ohio – To honor the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Delaware County MLK Celebration Committee and Ohio Wesleyan University will host the 34th annual community MLK commemoration Jan. 18, 2027, at the university. Tickets are available online now.
The theme of Delaware's 2027 celebration is "The Unfinished Quilt: Honoring Every Stitch." Event committee chairs Anja Dees and Melissa Harris share: "This theme invites us to reflect on the contributions, sacrifices, and collective efforts of those who have helped shape the ongoing pursuit of justice, equality, and community. It also challenges us to consider our individual and collective responsibility in continuing the work and imagining what is still possible."
Shepherding Community Change
Dionne B. Jackson, Ed.D., will serve as the keynote speaker. Jackson is an educator, executive leader, and advocate for social justice whose career has been dedicated to expanding educational opportunity, advancing equity, and strengthening communities. With more than 25 years of experience spanning higher education, municipal government, and the nonprofit sector, she has championed the belief that education, service, and collective action are powerful forces for individual and community transformation.
Jackson currently serves as the vice president for inclusive engagement, Title IX coordinator, and part-time associate professor of education studies at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. As a member of the DePauw president's cabinet, she provides strategic leadership in civil rights compliance, campus climate, and community engagement.
Throughout her career, Jackson has worked to translate the principles of justice and human dignity into meaningful institutional and community change. Her leadership reflects a commitment to building bridges across differences, developing future leaders, and fostering partnerships that strengthen the communities in which we live, learn, and serve.
Jackson also serves as State Co-Chair of the American Council on Education Women's Network of Indiana and is a board member of the Oscar Washington Jr. Educational Fund and Ottawa University. She earned her doctorate from Baylor University, her master's degree from the University of Central Arkansas, and her bachelor's degree from Hendrix College.
Supporting Scholarships
Individual MLK commemoration tickets are $40, with event sponsorship available for $280 for a table of eight. Doors will open at 9:45 a.m., brunch will begin at 10 a.m., and the program will run from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. in the OWU Benes Rooms, 40 Rowland Ave., Delaware, Ohio.
Proceeds from the program will continue to benefit the Delaware County Martin Luther King Scholarship Program, which has awarded $41,500 in scholarships to Delaware County students since 1990.
To learn more or purchase tickets, visit owu.edu/MLK. Online purchases will continue through Jan. 8. Please contact Dawn Chisebe at dmchiseb@owu.edu for more information on being part of Delaware's 2027 MLK Celebration, including sponsorship opportunities.
The 2027 event planning committee includes: Ohio Wesleyan staff Jasmine Alfred, Dawn Chisebe, Melissa Harris, Chad Johns, Newton Kimberly, Molly Grace Lovett, Ida Mostofi, Jason Timpson, and Deandra Wright; Delaware community members Francine Butler, Aaron Cook, Cindi Flinn, Tommy Terry, and Yolanda Terry; and OWU students Dez Dorelien, Dena Eloissaint, and Xander Kingery.
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is America's University for Ambitious Self-Discovery. At the private liberal arts university in Delaware, Ohio, students find their purpose and build the skills to pursue it through the OWU Connection, which links classroom learning to research, internships, travel-learning, and service. Ohio Wesleyan offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and competes in 24 NCAA Division III sports. The university is featured in "Colleges That Change Lives" and included on the U.S. News & World Report "Best Colleges" list. Connect with OWU expert sources at owu.edu/experts or learn more at owu.edu/admission.