Southeast Missouri State University will host its 20th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Dinner on January 23.

This year’s theme is “Against All Odds, Through Courage and Reslience” Zaki Ali, 1987 SEMO alumnus and member of the Southeast Missouri State Foundation Board of Directors, will be the guest speaker. Ali received his Master of Arts in human resources from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 1990 and worked for Eli Lilly and Company for six years. He received his law degree from North Kentucky University in 1998. For over 22 years, he has dedicated his career to practicing criminal defense, personal injury, and immigration law, using his experiences to advocate for justice.

The celebration dinner will take place on Thursday, January 23, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the program begins at 6.