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2026 MLK Servant-Leadership Awardees Announced
January 5, 2026
Every year in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of leading through service, Arizona State University recognizes members of society who are upholding the civil rights activist’s ideology and carrying it on through their own work in servant-leadership with the MLK Servant-Leadership Awards.
The awards are bestowed by the ASU Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Committee, which selects the winners. In 2026, the committee is reflecting on the continuing arc of progress — both personal and collective. This year’s theme of Picturing Progress invites the Arizona community to consider how they define growth and envision justice in their everyday lives.
The 2026 awardees will be recognized at the university’s Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Breakfast on Jan. 22.
“Dr. King taught us that ‘the function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education,'” said Marcia L. Mintz, CEO and President of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley.
“At Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley, we’re picturing progress by living this truth daily by shaping the character and leadership skills of the thousands of young people we serve. This honor belongs to our entire BGCAZ family who understands that servant-leadership means investing in young people during their most formative years. When we teach youth to lead with integrity, serve with purpose and dream without limits, we’re building what Dr. King called the ‘beloved community’ — one young leader at a time.”
