Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has always been about remembering his words. This year, colleagues across Nebraska Medicine and UNMC chose to honor his legacy through action.
On Monday, Jan. 19, 75 colleagues across Nebraska Medicine and UNMC came together for an MLK Day of Service in partnership with United Way of the Midlands. Together, they assembled mindfulness kits that will be distributed to Charles Drew Health Center and OneWorld Community Health Centers, both of which are trusted community partners serving individuals and families across the region.
In collaboration with Big Mama’s Kitchen and Catering and other community partners, the broader MLK Day of Service effort resulted in 3,000 total “pack-and-go” kits assembled in a single day, with 1,000 completed by Nebraska Medicine and UNMC colleagues. According to United Way of the Midlands CEO Shawna Forsberg, the collective effort marked a historic milestone: the most kits assembled during a single day.
Throughout the event, teams worked side by side, connecting across departments while reflecting on what service means in the context of Dr. King’s legacy. A slideshow highlighting moments from Dr. King’s life played in the background, offering reminders of the values that shaped his work and continue to guide conversations around compassion and unity today.
“One of Dr. Kings most compelling statements was that ‘Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” said UNMC Interim Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD. “It was an honor to join our United Way partners as well as our UNMC and Nebraska Medicine faculty, staff and students in this event to support two vital community health providers in Charles Drew and OneWorld.”
“I love MLK Day of Service because it is this really unique opportunity for us to do two things,” said Ada Walker, JD, vice president, People, Development and Culture at Nebraska Medicine. “First, we get to pause together and reflect on the incredible impact we, as an organization, have on our community. It also gives us a chance to act, create awareness, build connections and continue to strengthen trust with our community partners and the people we serve.”
This year’s observance marked a shift from a traditional MLK Day gathering to a service-focused experience.
“This was an intentional decision rooted in Dr. King’s belief that meaningful change comes from collective action,” said Shanda Ross, director, Community Impact, at Nebraska Medicine. “This event allowed colleagues to translate reflection into something tangible, while strengthening connections within the organization and beyond it.”
Several colleagues shared that the experience felt like a powerful way to honor Dr. King’s legacy, not just by remembering past progress, but by continuing the work in practical, intentional ways.
The event also included brief remarks reinforcing the importance of service, partnership and shared responsibility in advancing health equity and community well-being. “By centering this year’s MLK Day observance on service, colleagues honored Dr. King’s legacy in a way that was forward-looking, collective and grounded in the work we do every day: caring for people, strengthening communities and showing up with purpose,” Ross said.