Dear Tulane Community:
On Monday, we commemorate the national and university holiday honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Among the many wise words Dr. King shared with us during his life, one quote has been lingering in my mind during these first weeks of 2025:
Darkness cannot drive out darkness — only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate — only love can do that.
The new year began with a devastating and horrific attack in the French Quarter from which our community is still recovering. Heroic Tulane doctors have been on the front lines treating victims and managing blood donations. Countless members of our community have worked and volunteered to support victims and families. I see Dr. King's words reflected in all of these actions. When we are challenged, we respond from a place of compassion. When faced with difficult questions, we seek to illuminate, not to obscure. This is why I am approaching the year ahead with optimism and hope.
Just as Dr. King was guided by an unwavering moral compass, our work as a university is driven by our core values. Among these values is an Inclusive Community, which echoes Dr. King's lifelong pursuit of a world with freedom and equality for all. Each year, the Tulane MLK Planning Committee presents a series of “Spring is King” events to commemorate the life and advance the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as we continue to build and strengthen the supportive community we all seek. I hope you will find time to participate in one or more of these meaningful events and programs.
This spring, we are building on the tremendous successes of the fall 2024 semester, from the $23 million cancer moonshot grant to the naming of the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine to the launch of the inaugural Future of Energy Forum and more. These momentous achievements are already fueling life-changing research — and by elevating our reputation as an internationally renowned research institution, they are laying the groundwork for more faculty and students to achieve breakthroughs that transform and heal the world.
We've seen our share of storm clouds in New Orleans, but remember: since the winter solstice in late December, each day brings with it a bit more light. Throughout this spring semester and beyond, Tulanians will work to shine more light into the world, driving out darkness with innovative research, compassionate service, and impactful art that seeks to bring us closer to the world envisioned by Dr. King.
