USC Upstate hosts second annual MLK Community Builders Breakfast

The University of South Carolina Upstate held its second annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Builders’ Breakfast, bringing
together students, faculty, staff and community members from across the Upstate to honor individuals committed to service and
civic engagement. The event recognized efforts to advance what King called the “Beloved Community,” grounded in justice, equity
and shared responsibility. 
Recipients of the 2026 Community Builders Awards included students Zella Jackson and A’Kya Watson; staff members Alphaeus Anderson and Victoria Lockhart; faculty members Colby King and Claudine Feig; and community leaders Charles Mann, Ryon David Smalls, Tony Tanner and Marilyn Mitchell Varner. The awards acknowledge sustained leadership and contributions that strengthen both the campus and the surrounding community.
The program featured remarks from Dr. Marlon A. Smith, a USC Upstate professor and director of the Center for Africana & African American Studies. Smith, a nationally recognized scholar and author, spoke on the enduring relevance of civil rights advocacy, social justice and criminal justice reform, urging continued action toward equity and collective progress.