2026 We Have a Dream Celebration
Name:
2026 We Have a Dream Celebration
Date:
January 19, 2026
Time:
8:15 AM - 10:30 AM CST
Registration:
Register Now
Event Description:
Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - We Have a Dream Celebration is an annual community event held on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to commemorate the life and work of Dr. King. The morning portion of the program hosted by NAACP Rochester Branch MN in partnership with Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce will take place at the Mayo Civic Center.
The NAACP Rochester Freedom Rally and March will then proceed before the commencement of the Community People's Program which will take place at The Rochester Civic Theatre and feature State of Branch Report by President Elegbede, Distinguished Keynote, Panel Discussion and Q&A from our community. The Community People's Program will then conclude with the Commemorative MLK Birthday Party Celebration!
AGENDA *subject to change
8:15 am Doors Open, Breakfast, Networking
9:00 am Welcome, Start of Program
9:05 am Invocation
9:15 am Inspirations from the Heart
9:40 am Introduction of Keynote
9:50 am Featured Keynote Speaker: Thomas Thibodeau
10:10 am NAACP Rochester President’s Remark & Community Call to Action Intro provided by Wale Elegbede, NAACP Rochester Branch
10:25am Closing Remarks
Additional Community-wide activities hosted by the Rochester Branch of the NAACP
10:30-11:30am – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom March Rally
11:30-2:30pm – Community Peoples Program (State of the Branch and Community, Call to Action, Panel Discussion, Reflection, Celebration)
The NAACP Community People's Program will be hosted at the Rochester Arts Center and doors will open at 11:30 am.
Featured Key Note Speaker: Thomas Thibodeau
Thomas Thibodeau is the Distinguished Professor of Servant Leadership at Viterbo University, where he has served as a transformative educator, mentor, and advocate for ethical leadership for more than four decades. Widely regarded as a thought leader in servant leadership, Professor Thibodeau is known for his deep commitment to forming leaders grounded in service, compassion, accountability, and the common good.
At Viterbo University, Associate Professor Thibodeau is the founder of the Master of Arts in Servant Leadership, the first graduate degree program of its kind in the United States. Through this pioneering program—and through decades of teaching, writing, and public engagement—he has influenced thousands of students and leaders across healthcare, education, nonprofit, faith-based, and civic sectors. His work challenges individuals to view leadership not as position or power, but as a moral responsibility to uplift others and strengthen communities.
Inspired by the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and other champions of social justice and nonviolence, Professor Thibodeau believes leadership must be rooted in dignity, empathy, and love of neighbor. He teaches that servant leadership is not a destination, but a lifelong journey—one that requires reflection, humility, and courageous action in the face of injustice.
Beyond the classroom, Professor Thibodeau is a founding member of Place of Grace, a Catholic Worker community that practices radical hospitality and embodies servant leadership in action. Place of Grace provides a free food pantry available to the public, offering nourishment, accompaniment, and dignity to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity and economic hardship. This lived commitment reflects Professor Thibodeau’s belief that leadership must be practiced daily, not merely discussed.
A sought-after speaker locally, nationally, and a TEDx speaker, Professor Thibodeau engages audiences on servant leadership, community building, and purpose-driven leadership. His life’s work reflects Franciscan values and a steadfast belief that the highest form of leadership is service to others—and that lasting change begins when leaders choose to serve with courage, humility, and love.
Walé Elegbede, President, NAACP Rochester Branch
Dr. Walé Elegbede is the President of the Rochester Branch of the NAACP, where he leads one of Minnesota’s most active civil-rights organizations advancing justice, equity, education, health, and economic stability. His leadership is grounded in service, advocacy, organizational and personal transformation, and accountability, with a focus on fostering trust and advancing social justice and belonging across the community.
Inspired by the lives and leadership of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and John Lewis, Dr. Elegbede believes leadership requires moral courage, disciplined action, and a willingness to stand for justice. He is guided by the conviction that dignity and human worth must be actively defended, and that lasting change is achieved through collective responsibility.
A leader of action, Dr. Elegbede has been at the forefront of social justice–centered efforts in the Midwest. In Rochester, he has led calls for accountability and justice during moments that tested the community’s values and resolve. In Wisconsin, he led community responses addressing hate crimes, working alongside civic, business, law enforcement, and faith leaders to affirm shared values and public safety. A bridge builder, he partners across sectors to ensure communities remain inclusive, safe, and resilient.
Dr. Elegbede’s commitment to justice and ethical leadership is deeply personal. Born in Nigeria and raised across West Africa, he grew up witnessing the appalling effects of fear, prejudice, and bias under autocratic rule. He observed military governance in Nigeria and, while living in Togo, experienced life under the long-standing authoritarian regime of Gnassingbé Eyadema. These formative experiences shaped his lifelong commitment to human dignity, equity, and the moral responsibility of leadership.
An interfaith leader, Dr. Elegbede is a founding member of the La Crosse Interfaith Shoulder to Shoulder Network, established to empower people of all faiths—or no faith—to stand against anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant hate and to build solidarity through education, advocacy, and action.
Beyond his civic leadership, Dr. Elegbede is a healthcare leader and scholar, serving as Director of Strategy Management Services at Mayo Clinic’s Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, where he leads PMO strategy-to-execution transformation initiatives for patient benefit. He holds a Doctorate in Ethical Leadership and is the creator of the TEACH Framework™, a culturally responsive leadership model grounded in Trust, Empathy, Accountability, Cultural Awareness, and Honest (Inclusive) Communication.
A nationally and internationally recognized keynote and TED Talk speaker, Dr. Elegbede engages audiences on ethical leadership, servant leadership, and building trust across difference. His life and work reflect a steadfast belief that the highest calling of leadership is service—and that progress is made when communities move from reflection to action.
By attending a Chamber event, you consent to the Chamber Event Policy.
The NAACP Rochester Freedom Rally and March will then proceed before the commencement of the Community People's Program which will take place at The Rochester Civic Theatre and feature State of Branch Report by President Elegbede, Distinguished Keynote, Panel Discussion and Q&A from our community. The Community People's Program will then conclude with the Commemorative MLK Birthday Party Celebration!
AGENDA *subject to change
8:15 am Doors Open, Breakfast, Networking
9:00 am Welcome, Start of Program
9:05 am Invocation
9:15 am Inspirations from the Heart
9:40 am Introduction of Keynote
9:50 am Featured Keynote Speaker: Thomas Thibodeau
10:10 am NAACP Rochester President’s Remark & Community Call to Action Intro provided by Wale Elegbede, NAACP Rochester Branch
10:25am Closing Remarks
Additional Community-wide activities hosted by the Rochester Branch of the NAACP
10:30-11:30am – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom March Rally
11:30-2:30pm – Community Peoples Program (State of the Branch and Community, Call to Action, Panel Discussion, Reflection, Celebration)
The NAACP Community People's Program will be hosted at the Rochester Arts Center and doors will open at 11:30 am.
Featured Key Note Speaker: Thomas Thibodeau
Thomas Thibodeau is the Distinguished Professor of Servant Leadership at Viterbo University, where he has served as a transformative educator, mentor, and advocate for ethical leadership for more than four decades. Widely regarded as a thought leader in servant leadership, Professor Thibodeau is known for his deep commitment to forming leaders grounded in service, compassion, accountability, and the common good.
At Viterbo University, Associate Professor Thibodeau is the founder of the Master of Arts in Servant Leadership, the first graduate degree program of its kind in the United States. Through this pioneering program—and through decades of teaching, writing, and public engagement—he has influenced thousands of students and leaders across healthcare, education, nonprofit, faith-based, and civic sectors. His work challenges individuals to view leadership not as position or power, but as a moral responsibility to uplift others and strengthen communities.
Inspired by the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and other champions of social justice and nonviolence, Professor Thibodeau believes leadership must be rooted in dignity, empathy, and love of neighbor. He teaches that servant leadership is not a destination, but a lifelong journey—one that requires reflection, humility, and courageous action in the face of injustice.
Beyond the classroom, Professor Thibodeau is a founding member of Place of Grace, a Catholic Worker community that practices radical hospitality and embodies servant leadership in action. Place of Grace provides a free food pantry available to the public, offering nourishment, accompaniment, and dignity to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity and economic hardship. This lived commitment reflects Professor Thibodeau’s belief that leadership must be practiced daily, not merely discussed.
A sought-after speaker locally, nationally, and a TEDx speaker, Professor Thibodeau engages audiences on servant leadership, community building, and purpose-driven leadership. His life’s work reflects Franciscan values and a steadfast belief that the highest form of leadership is service to others—and that lasting change begins when leaders choose to serve with courage, humility, and love.
Walé Elegbede, President, NAACP Rochester Branch
Dr. Walé Elegbede is the President of the Rochester Branch of the NAACP, where he leads one of Minnesota’s most active civil-rights organizations advancing justice, equity, education, health, and economic stability. His leadership is grounded in service, advocacy, organizational and personal transformation, and accountability, with a focus on fostering trust and advancing social justice and belonging across the community.
Inspired by the lives and leadership of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and John Lewis, Dr. Elegbede believes leadership requires moral courage, disciplined action, and a willingness to stand for justice. He is guided by the conviction that dignity and human worth must be actively defended, and that lasting change is achieved through collective responsibility.
A leader of action, Dr. Elegbede has been at the forefront of social justice–centered efforts in the Midwest. In Rochester, he has led calls for accountability and justice during moments that tested the community’s values and resolve. In Wisconsin, he led community responses addressing hate crimes, working alongside civic, business, law enforcement, and faith leaders to affirm shared values and public safety. A bridge builder, he partners across sectors to ensure communities remain inclusive, safe, and resilient.
Dr. Elegbede’s commitment to justice and ethical leadership is deeply personal. Born in Nigeria and raised across West Africa, he grew up witnessing the appalling effects of fear, prejudice, and bias under autocratic rule. He observed military governance in Nigeria and, while living in Togo, experienced life under the long-standing authoritarian regime of Gnassingbé Eyadema. These formative experiences shaped his lifelong commitment to human dignity, equity, and the moral responsibility of leadership.
An interfaith leader, Dr. Elegbede is a founding member of the La Crosse Interfaith Shoulder to Shoulder Network, established to empower people of all faiths—or no faith—to stand against anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant hate and to build solidarity through education, advocacy, and action.
Beyond his civic leadership, Dr. Elegbede is a healthcare leader and scholar, serving as Director of Strategy Management Services at Mayo Clinic’s Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, where he leads PMO strategy-to-execution transformation initiatives for patient benefit. He holds a Doctorate in Ethical Leadership and is the creator of the TEACH Framework™, a culturally responsive leadership model grounded in Trust, Empathy, Accountability, Cultural Awareness, and Honest (Inclusive) Communication.
A nationally and internationally recognized keynote and TED Talk speaker, Dr. Elegbede engages audiences on ethical leadership, servant leadership, and building trust across difference. His life and work reflect a steadfast belief that the highest calling of leadership is service—and that progress is made when communities move from reflection to action.
By attending a Chamber event, you consent to the Chamber Event Policy.
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Event Sponsors:
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