Tamara S. Williams SM '00, a graduate student in electrical engineering and computer science [PhD '06], spoke at the breakfast in 2000. She noted that Dr. King did not waver in his commitment, even though he was aware that he could be killed for it. "He refused to stray from the path of equality and justice for all," she said.

A 1998 physics graduate of Tennessee State University, Williams was a member of the Beta Kappa Chi Scientific Honor Society and the Phi Kappa Phi and Golden Ring honor societies.

At MIT, she has been co-chair of the Black Graduate Students Association and Color Creations. She volunteered for Tutoring Plus and worked with Cambridge public school students in mathematics and English.