As one of many planned MLK Week events, the University welcomed back Bucknell graduate Gbenga Akinnagbe ’00 to speak on Monday, Jan. 22nd. Akinnagbe attended Bucknell on a wrestling scholarship, and graduated with a degree in Political Science and English. He is most well known for his acting career, starring in roles such as Chris Partlow on the series “The Wire”, and Larry Brown on the series “The Deuce”.
Akinnagbe began his speech by revisiting his childhood, explaining how his upbringing in a Christian household was a negative one, leading him to seek out a new religion later on. He spoke on how wrestling became a form of worship to him, because of its hard work and devotion: “I shed blood, sweat, and tears at its altar.” He then sought out Judaism, and was dedicated to immersing himself in his new religion, eventually seeking out a pilgrimage to Israel. The group he had traveled with began to diverge from Akinnagbe’s beliefs, and he left it behind with the idea that he did not need to subscribe to a religion in order to access the kindness and love that it often promotes.
Akinnagbe’s experience in Israel transitioned his speech to tackling the current Israeli and Palestinian conflict. At the root of his message concerning the conflict were the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. Akinnagbe emphasized the importance of justice, quoting MLK: “True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.” Akinnagbe also underscored the significance of protecting everyone’s right to live, and to retaliate against the government and leading powers in the face of war and injustice, rather than the people. He brought attention to a relevant and powerful quote from Cornel West, urging the audience to echo the sentiment: “Justice is what love looks like in public.”
Hearing Akinnagbe’s experience of religion and response to the Israel-Palestine conflict was just one opportunity for students to be exposed to perspectives on the matter in the MLK Week series, and there are more upcoming ways for students to engage with the topic on campus.
“The story of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of many narratives, age-old cycles of violence, and multiple oppressed indigenous and refugee communities,” Rabbi Jessica Goldberg expressed. “I would invite anyone interested in learning more to join the Division of Equity and Inclusive Excellence, Diversity and Inclusion, and the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life at our upcoming sessions dedicated to this topic.”
On Friday, Jan. 26th, a Facilitated Dialogue and Processing Circle will be held from 2 to 4pm. RSVP is required, and the location of the meeting will be shared with individuals upon completion of the form.
On Thursday, Feb. 1st, a talk entitled “Why Is The Conversation So Hard? Islamophobia, Antisemitism, and Israel-Palestine” will be held in the ELC Center room from 12 to 1pm. Lunch will be provided.
