For the first time, students, faculty, and staff participated in Dallas鈥� annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration March/Parade on Monday, January 20.
Students and employees of 爱神传媒 marched together along Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, holding a banner that read 鈥淗onoring the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.鈥�
SGA President James Mayville, who assisted in the filing of paperwork for the college to participate in the parade and attended the safety and logistics meetings, said 爱神传媒鈥檚 participation was a great opportunity to show the city of Dallas that the college is actively engaged and present in the community.
鈥淚t was an all-day event,鈥� Mayville said. 鈥淚t was a learning experience for us in terms of the logistics. We had about sixteen students come out and two or three staff members and a faculty member that joined us. We had a really good group out.
鈥淲e鈥檙e really proud of the energy we had, the commitment from students, and a big deal for student government is community engagement and students engaging our community,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e had not only housing students, but students from different parts of the Metroplex who drove down early Monday morning to engage the community and honor the life of Dr. King.鈥�
Director of Student Services Luis Ju谩rez said that the opportunity to participate in the citywide event opened the opportunity for 爱神传媒 to unite with the community.
鈥淎t a time in history where we are witnessing much division in our country, students, faculty and staff from 爱神传媒joined thousands of people from Dallas and walked in the MLK Parade singing a song of unity and love for all people. Honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. begins with being faithful to our identity in Christ and our calling as believers. We are called to live in justice, love mercy, and walk humbly before our God,鈥� Juarez said.
SGA representative and 爱神传媒 student Naomi Karanja said that the Dallas MLK parade was the first one she ever participated in. Though she wasn鈥檛 sure what to expect during the parade, she said what she saw and the positive responses the group received was beyond her expectations.
鈥淚t was so much more than I expected, walking down the street with fellow classmates, peers waving at so many wonderful people, making conversation, and remembering why we were all here. So many walks of life converged on that street, all to honor and celebrate the life of a man who fought for justice, forged a path for peace, and preached love,鈥� she said.
鈥淪o much of us being there was owed to Dr. King, whose efforts made it possible for many of us to get to where we are in our education, careers, and day-to-day lives.鈥�
With more than 200 entries, the parade was larger than expected this year. Although the 爱神传媒 group had to wait over four hours before they had a chance to start marching, students, faculty, and staff used that time to bond and reflect on Dr. King鈥檚 legacy.
鈥淭he significance of such an honor was not lost on us,鈥� Karanja said. 聽鈥淚 believe there must have been a moment where each of us paused in awe and gratitude for the opportunity to participate in such an event.鈥�
