The University of South Carolina Upstate hosted its second annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Builders’ Breakfast, bringing together students, faculty, staff and community members from across the Upstate to recognize individuals working to build what Dr. King described as a “Beloved Community.”
The event celebrated recipients of the 2026 Community Builders Awards, honoring their commitment to service, justice and the common good. This year’s honorees included students Zella Jackson and A’Kya Watson; staff members Alphaeus Anderson and Victoria Lockhart; faculty members Dr. Colby King and Claudine Feig; and community leaders Charles Mann, Ryon David Smalls, Tony Tanner and Marilyn Mitchell Varner.
Attendees also heard from featured speaker Dr. Marlon A. Smith, professor at USC Upstate and director of the Center for Africana & African American Studies. A nationally recognized scholar, author and community leader, Smith shared insights rooted in civil rights, social justice and criminal justice reform, encouraging continued action in pursuit of equity and collective progress.
Together, attendees reflected, celebrated and recommitted themselves to the ongoing work of building community through meaningful action. University leaders expressed gratitude to the honorees for their leadership and service, noting their lasting impact on the campus and the broader Upstate community.