January 10, 2019
Ursuline College will commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with a multimedia presentation by poet and performance artist Alexandria Gurley titled “Follow The Leader: Recognizing Our Ancestors, Forging Our Own Paths” on Tuesday, January 29, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. in Daley Hall. The evening starts with a 5:00 p.m. reception; the performance begins at 5:30 p.m. This free event is open to the public. The College is at 2550 Lander Road in Pepper Pike.
Gurley, whose stage name is Alex Tha GREAT (for Given Real Encouragement Amongst Turmoil), is based in Texas and has performed across the country, combining poetry with music and other forms of expression to bring social justice messages to life and engage audience members.
Regarding her upcoming Ursuline performance she said, ““Generally, a great leader is one who knows how to be a great follower first; but the question begs, who do millennials have to look up to? This multimedia presentation seeks to have participants recall significant leaders of the past in African American history and their trajectory to the present day, with the implications on identity politics and social structures in the African American community.”
Gurley earned a bachelor’s degree in African American Studies at the University of California, Irvine, and a master’s in Cultural Studies at Claremont Graduate University. She has performed nationally since 2011 and has worked as a teaching artist for the non-profit organization Big Thought.
Ursuline’s Assistant Dean for Diversity Yolanda King said, “We are very pleased to be able to partner with Alex Tha GREAT and present this stirring performance to the Ursuline community and the public. Her inspiring message will encourage millennials to reflect on civil rights leaders today in the age of social media, and pop culture.”
