UNMC reflects on Dr. King – Day 2












Commemorative address



Omaha City Councilman Ben Gray will deliver UNMC’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemorative address on Monday at noon in the Sorrell Center’s Truhlsen Campus Events Center. The free event is open to the public and lunch will be served.




In recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, several members of the campus community were asked to offer their personal reflections on the civil rights leader.

Today is the second of a two-part series that features these reflections on Dr. King.

The first story in the series appeared in UNMC Today on Wednesday.











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Fran Higgins
“‘There comes a time when one must take the position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular, but one must do it because conscience (says) it is right.’ This Dr. King quote sums up his message for me, and it hangs at my workstation as a reminder. The struggle for social justice and civil rights has typically not been safe, popular or politic, but it is right, and necessary as long as people are still being marginalized.” Fran Higgins, administrative assistant in the School of Allied Health Professions











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Fausto Loberiza Jr., M.D.
“My personal thought on the message of Dr. King is one of universality and inclusiveness. Being an immigrant in this country, you sort of always have this feeling that you are different and not part of the mainstream. But his message reminds us that the dream for equality, social justice and liberty cross beyond race, ethnicity, religion or gender.” Fausto Loberiza Jr., M.D., associate professor in the department of internal medicine











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John Benson, M.D.
“My favorite quote from Dr. King is, ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’ His transformative, peaceful approach to protest and change transcended race and bias.” John Benson, M.D., professor of internal medicine