In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Cross-Cultural and Gender Center (CCGC) held a commemoration on Tuesday to remember King’s life, legacy and great service to the Black community. The event also marks the 100th Black History Month in the United States.
At the event, students shared their reflections about King and what his legacy means to them.
Krysalyn Jacobs, vice president of the Black Student Union and a women’s, gender and sexuality studies student, reflected on times when her dad would take her to the MLK march in Sacramento every year, and how that experience kept his legacy alive for her throughout her life.
“It’s very important for us to have these events to include us and put our thoughts into the atmosphere of the campus,” Jacobs said. “It shows that we, as Black students, are on campus. We have voices, we have opinions, and we deserve to be heard.”
Jeffrey Armstrong, a kinesiology student, member of Omega Psi Phi and Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) senator for operations and resident affairs, shared his reflection on King’s challenges and how some of those challenges are still present today.
“His marches were something that I wanted to emphasize because it showed that not only was he willing to get up and speak, which is something that takes courage,” Armstrong said. “But him actually being in the field, him actually showing that, ‘I’m here and I’m showing up and I’m really standing on what I believe in.’”
This event has happened in the past, but it was inside the CCGC building. This year, they wanted to hold it outside to allow everybody to be able to listen to the student speakers.
“We asked our college students to come and give reflections this year because they’re the future,” said Sade Johnson, the program director for the Black Student Success Initiative, and co-coordinator for the event.
Organizers also set up an exhibit located outside the CCGC that told a complete story of his life, along with what he did for civil rights. The exhibit was open until the end of the day.
“It’s important for people to remember what Dr. King was fighting for and what his mission and purpose was so that we can use those tools,” said Varselles Cummings, director of the CCGC and co-coordinator of the event. “We can glean a lot from his example and the people that were alive and working with him.”
The presentation kicked off with Asia Smith’s vocal performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often referred to as the Black national anthem. Smith teaches gospel choir and a critical thinking about race course at Fresno State.
“I have always adored the Black national anthem, and if you look at it, it tells our history very well,” Smith said. “It kind of establishes us as a culture.”
Cummings then gave a speech about King’s impact and legacy, and urged everyone to learn more about King’s life.
“Get to know Dr. King beyond the quotes we post once a year,” Cummings said.
Camalah Saleh, ASI president, was at the event supporting the student leaders who were speaking.
“Today, a lot of the speakers were talking about how the movement’s not done yet,” Saleh said. “There’s still racial disparities. There’s still class disparities. There’s still housing issues in our communities. Every single community is still being impacted and we’re all interconnected. So when we learn about these figures and when we have events like this, we learn why the movement ever started and that it’s still continuing. And it is our duty to carry it on.”
Robert Rivera, ASI senator for athletics and recreation, stopped by to listen to the event.
“Everyone gathered around here, the repetition of that, it makes us realize the genuine effect that he’s had on everywhere,” Rivera said.
Daray Sims, a student at Fresno State and member of Omega Psi Phi, came to support Armstrong and loved the commemoration.
“It’s powerful,” Sims said. “I feel like more events like this should be hosted because it brings a message and it brings the community together to really see the bigger picture of what needs to be fought for.”
While the event was a chance for people to learn and reflect on King, attendees said it was also a reminder that his fight is still going strong and that his sacrifices must always be remembered.
“I hope that students take away from this experience that nothing changes if you don’t give it to them,” Johnson said. “If something matters to you, you continue to put up a fork, you continue to put your stake in the ground and you continue to push it forward.”
