Georgia Tech students honored the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by volunteering at various service projects throughout the metro Atlanta area during Georgia Tech's ninth annual MLK Day of Service on Monday, Jan. 21.

Teams of volunteers removed invasive plants and trash from the trails and gardens of the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance, planted trees in Midtown for Trees Atlanta, and removed dumped furniture and debris from the streets around the Hartnett Community Garden, among other endeavors.

“It is important to follow through on the spirit of the Martin Luther King Day of Service,” said Evan Gillon, a fourth-year public policy major and undergraduate Student Government Association president.

The service projects, organized by Georgia Tech Leadership and Civic Engagement, provided an opportunity for students who wanted to serve their community.

“Community service has been a really big part of my life,” said Jonathan Valdez, a second-year mechanical engineering student. “I think King really embodied that sentiment by saying go out, do work, and be the change.”

The MLK Day of Service is one of the many events that make up the 2019 Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, which is also supported by Institute Diversity. This year’s theme is "Our Shared Future: Changing the World Together."

“It is very important that we continue to celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. at Georgia Tech,” said Brittny James, program support coordinator and committee lead. “It brought me great pride to be a part of this initiative.”  

MLK celebration events continue this week. See a full listing from Institute Diversity.