Indiana University East will feature Gloria J. Burgess as this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration speaker at 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 22, in Vivian Auditorium, located in Whitewater Hall. Burgess will present “Martin Luther King Jr.: Legacy for Life in the 21st Century.”

The presentation is free and open to the public. For ticket information, visit IUEast-MLK.eventbrite.com.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration is sponsored by the IU East Diversity Committee and the IU East Center for Leadership Development.

Burgess is an inspirational speaker who has presented key note addresses and tributes for more than 30 years. She presents forums, master classes, and business consultations on leadership development, coaching and mentorship.

Sheila Armstead, clinical assistant professor of social work, is a member of the IU East Diversity Committee. She said Burgess’ message will provide a message for young people, and others, to work for their goals no matter what obstacles may lay in the way.

“In times of uneasiness, we find ourselves once again fighting for equality on women’s issues, race, and education,” Armstead said. “Gloria had excellent role models, including her parents, who showed her that if there is something you want, keep working toward that goal and don’t let anyone stop you. Gloria broke through many barriers based on their example. I hope people will come to the presentation and leave inspired to work toward their dream.”

Burgess is the President and CEO of Jazz, Inc., a company she operates with her husband and co-CEO, John Burgess. In addition to her background in technology, business and inspirational leadership, she is a poet. Her work appears in numerous anthologies, including The Ringing Ear: Black Poets Lean South.  Her most recent work includes two books on leadership in the Building Leadership Bridges series and Dare to Wear Your Soul on the Outside. Burgess is also a Distinguished Scholar in Theater Performance and Direction. She holds graduate degrees in leadership and communication, and an M.B.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Southern California.

Burgess is also the featured speaker of this year’s Women in Leadership workshop hosted by the IU East Center for Leadership Development.  The workshop is 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, January 23, 2015. The workshop will be held in the Whitewater Hall Community Room.

For this event, Burgess will present “Flawless Leadership: Connecting Your Voice and Touch.” The workshop is sponsored by the Center for Leadership, part of the IU East School of Business and Economics.

There is a $75 fee for this event. Registration is required; RSVP at iue.edu/leadership.

Fredricka Joyner, associate professor of business administration and organization behavior at IU East, is the director of the Center for Leadership Development.

“The Women in Leadership workshop provides a unique opportunity to attend a workshop facilitated by someone with the depth and breadth that Burgess brings – an artist who is well-grounded in both the business context and in the work of leadership and leadership development,” Joyner said. “The workshop will bring together women from many facets of the community to spend the morning exploring how to more fully bring their diverse and unique gifts to the work of leadership, in all areas of their lives. It promises to be a profound and moving experience and a great way to kick off 2015.”