SE Valley Times

Rio Salado College recently hosted an event to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, focusing on the civil rights leader's enduring legacy. The event took place at the Rio Salado Conference Center and featured group discussions and presentations centered around Dr. King's vision for equity, justice, and unity.

The session was titled "Reflecting on the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." and began with a speech by Rio Salado President Kate Smith, who emphasized the importance of equity in the community. Chief Program Officer of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging for Rio Salado, Reina Ferrufino, moderated the event alongside Minikah Yve-Louise and Latrice Wilson-Gettings.

Ferrufino initiated discussions by playing a passage from one of Dr. King's speeches titled “The Other America,” delivered at Stanford University in 1967. In this speech, Dr. King highlighted stark contrasts within American society: “One America is beautiful for situation... But tragically and unfortunately, there is another America...”

Attendees formed groups to discuss whether these divisions persist today and what steps could be taken toward a more equitable society. Many participants noted that issues addressed by Dr. King remain relevant today.

Ferrufino also presented excerpts from “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” written by Dr. King during his imprisonment for participating in nonviolent demonstrations against segregation: “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed... Justice too long delayed is justice denied.”

Discussions continued on civil disobedience and advocating for equality with attendees sharing ideas on how institutions can support justice.

For those interested in learning more about Dr. King’s impact on American history and culture, Rio library staff has compiled resources including video links, speech transcripts, historical articles, and more.