The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
College promotes MLK’s values
The importance of African American males pursuing a higher education was the theme of this year’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration lunch at Lorain County Community College.
“It’s important for use to remember Martin Luther King Jr. and everything he stood for,” said Selina Gaddis, manager of student life at LCCC, at the Jan. 17 event at the College Center.
“We should think about his life, that he stood for equality for all and giving back to those who need it.”
Gaddis said this year they wanted to empower African American males to succeed.
“African American males represent the lowest amount of graduates in the nation,” she said.
“This is mainly due to a lack of support by friends and family. They often don’t have friends or family members who are going to college and they don’t feel comfortable leaving that support system. A college education, however, greatly improves your quality of life and it will greatly improve your opportunities.”
The keynote speaker of the event, Carlos Christian, CEO of the Starts Within Organization, feels a higher education rids someone of limitations.
“It’s how you defy the
odds,” he said. “You have more options when you feed your mind. I tell people to let your mind control and dominate your behavior;
that’s how you achieve success.”
Christian said education turned his life around.
“I was incarcerated for
10 years and overcame that situation with higher education,” he said.
“Now I go to penitentiaries and juvenile detention
centers to tell people that it can be done. Young African American men get the wrong idea about success from what the rappers
preach to them. You need to work hard and get a degree. Once you do that, there is no limit to what you can do.”