Reginald L. Douglas (COL ’09), artistic director at Mosaic Theater Company in D.C., received the John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award, given to a local figure exemplifying Thompson’s and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s spirit, at the 20th annual Let Freedom Ring Celebration hosted by Georgetown University and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Jan. 15. 

The annual celebration seeks to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy through a tribute concert, community events and the Legacy of a Dream Award. The award, named after former Georgetown men’s basketball coach John Thompson Jr., honors a local community leader who exemplifies Thompson’s and King’s devotion to equity, racial justice and the Jesuit value of being a “person for others.”

Actress and playwright Anna Deavere Smith emceed the event, which featured performances by event producer and composer Nolan Williams Jr. and singers Cécile McLorin Salvant and Jordin Sparks. 

University President John J. DeGioia (CAS ’79, GRD ’95) paid homage to Dr. King in remarks at the event.

“70 years ago, in the early years of the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. King stood before a congregation in the Second Baptist Church in Detroit and laid forth an important challenge inviting us, in his words, ‘to be a people who will stand for right and goodness, who will know the simple disciplines of being honest, and loving and just for all of humanity.’” DeGioia said at the event, quoting King. 

“We’ve come back to this stage to remember and reaffirm our commitment to Dr. King’s urgent work, work that remains unfinished,” DeGioia added.

Douglas, the recipient of this year’s Legacy of a Dream Award, is the artistic director of Mosaic Theater Company in D.C., a community-oriented theater dedicated to elevating untold stories and pressing societal issues, providing opportunities and creating change in its plays.

Douglas highlighted the mission of Mosaic in a video tribute at the event. 

“I really think that theater at its best is a catalyst for more conversation, for more community building, and for connections,” Douglas said. “And for us at Mosaic, we do that with a desire to reflect the diversity of our world, to move people who are often in the margins into the spotlight, and I believe our work as artists is to curate the culture, and I want to curate a culture that reflects the diversity of what we are and what we could be.”

Cathy Soloman, board chair and president of Mosaic Theater Company, said Mosaic was impressed from the start by Douglas’ passion for theater, communication skills and vision.

“Reg immediately impressed us with his passion and his joy and his ability to communicate what theater can do to bring people together. That’s what Mosaic is all about, to be able to tell stories that help people understand their shared humanity,” Solomon said in the video. 

Douglas also reflected on the impact his Georgetown experiences had on his future career as he sought to combine his twin passions of politics and theater.

“I really believed that every voice mattered, and that I could be on the front lines of making change. That was always palpable and possible for me,” Douglas said. “I took a political theater course at Georgetown, and it was the ‘aha moment,’ you can combine your love of civic engagement and community engagement with your love for theater and performance.”

The event finished with a performance by Grammy-nominated artist Jordin Sparks, who sang hits such as “One Step at a Time,” “No Air” and “Call My Name” before ending with a cover of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”

Sparks paid tribute to Dr. King at the event, highlighting his quality of perseverance.

“His life was really inspiring. I think for me, my favorite thing about him was his perseverance. He kept going. He kept trying. He kept knocking. He kept giving speeches. He kept watching people marching. He kept believing. He kept reading,” Sparks said at the event. “And I think for me, that’s something that is very prominent in my life, to persevere, to keep trying, to keep believing in yourself.”