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MCCC Celebrates Martin Luther King Jr.

 

What does diversity mean to you?

This prompt was displayed on a poster board outside MCCC’s cafeteria today. All passers-by had the chance to add their voice to the collection of answers on the display.

MCCC President David Nixon answered the prompt with, “Working hand in hand with people different from us.”

“Diversity is how different groups of people can come together, socialize, and be a part of something bigger than themselves,” Jennifer Moyer, MCCC student, wrote.

The display was set up as a part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Diversity and Volunteer Fair.

“We (MCCC Diversity Committee) planned this event to celebrate MLK’s birthday and what he did for civil rights,” Molly McCutchan, MCCC director of Human Resources, said.

One of the events featured was a performance by blues guitarist Paul Miles, a five-time Detroit music award winner. Miles performed from noon to 1 p.m. in MCCC’s cafeteria.

Another feature was the Diversity and Volunteer fair, where different organizations set up informational booths in the Administration building.

The fair, McCutchan explained, was tri-fold.

“One group of tables (inside the cafeteria) are volunteer organizations throughout the Monroe County area,” she said. “We did this because Martin Luther King Jr. represented service and volunteerism, and we wanted to do something for that.”

The volunteer organizations represented included the American Red Cross, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and Habitat for Humanity.

The other two parts were the diversity fair and tables representing various clubs on campus, including Student Government and the International Studies club.

Each MCCC student organization’s table reflected how they promote diversity, McCutchan said.

“In International Studies club, we learn about diverse cultures and different countries,” Jennifer Moyer, a club member, said.

The day’s events also included a showing and discussion of Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech, “I Have a Dream,” led by MCCC professor Tiffany Wright.

The A-building doors leading to the main campus hosted another of the day’s displays, called “Working Hand in Hand with People Different from Us,” where participants could sign a handprint and tape it to the doors. The doors were covered with a variety of colorful handprints to symbolize unity.

Throughout the day, there was one central theme: diversity.

“To me, diversity is what keeps this world exciting. Diversity is all around us. MCCC is a place of diversity,” said Chelsey McMillan, MCCC student and member of the Student Nurses Association. “We have older students, younger students, in between, black, white, tall, thin, blonde hair, gray hair, nursing students, art students, business majors,”

“Without diversity, the world would just be black and white.”