MSJC students sign Equity Pledge at MLK Day celebration

MSJC students and staff signed an Equity Pledge at Tuesday's Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. Photos courtesy of MSJC

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Students, community members, faculty, staff and officials gathered at Mt. San Jacinto College on Tuesday to honor the life and work of one of the nation’s greatest leaders at its 14th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration.

More than 200 people attended the event, which also introduced the community to the college’s Equity Pledge, which affirms MSJC’s commitment to equity so that all of its students feel welcome and supported.

“We believe that our Equity Pledge furthers the work of Dr. King to ensure that his dream lives on,” said Dr. Roger Schultz, Superintendent/President of MSJC.

“The Pledge is a great idea,” said Anthony Smart, president of the Umoja program at MSJC who was involved in the creation of the document. “A lot of schools say they care about diversity, but the Pledge actually does it.

“You can feel invisible at an institution when they don’t do something like this,” the English major said. “It’s important.”

James Parker, a math major and president of Phi Theta Kappa at MSJC, was also involved in the Equity Pledge creation.

“This school really cares about student equity. I can see all the hard work that’s being put in,” he said of the Pledge. “The biggest difference that it’ll make is its focus on higher success rates and retention to get students to stay in college to pass their classes and to succeed.”

The annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration at MSJC brings the community together to remember the message and work of Dr. King to promote equity and social justice. Guests to the luncheon enjoyed a performance by Toni Malone, who portrayed Coretta Scott King; listened to a four-student panel sharing the impact that Dr. King has had on their lives; and signed the Equity Pledge.

Professor John Knuth, MSJC Art Gallery Curator and Art Chair, last year announced that the MSJC Foundation and Schultz’s office helped commission a beautiful oil canvas painting by San Jacinto resident Barbara Rivera called “Our Future.” Featuring children from every continent around the world, the painting will be featured at the entrance of the San Jacinto Campus’ library, Schultz announced Tuesday.

“The arrival of Rivera’s painting is apropos right now in light of our new Equity Pledge,” Schultz said. “Her painting portrays the incredible diversity of the globe, United States, and our college. It is meant to highlight the fantastic range of ethnicities and backgrounds of our students."

MSJC students listened to speakers at the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration.