Martin Luther King Jr. Day was a big deal where Chelsey Lucas grew up -- Houma, Louisiana. “It was a huge celebration with choirs, preaching, eating and kids playing games. It was a whole day of festivities,” she recalled.

Nothing as festive was planned at Yavapai College, where Chelsey is serving her first year as Roughrider Volleyball Coach. So, in collaboration with YC Police Chief Tyran Payne and the YC Athletics Department she made MLK Day a big deal on campus.

Chelsey and Ty brought YC student athletes together to watch a video produced by Teaching and E-Learning Manager Thatcher Borhman and featuring Dr. King’s historic “I Have A Dream” speech, clips of King leading civil rights marches and photos of YC student athletes. The athletes’ photos mirrored the diversity of the dream speech audience and the throngs of marchers.

“As you look around campus, honestly speaking, you see our athletics teams evolving to be more of a melting pot of all different cultures and races,” Chelsey said, explaining that the message implicit in the video is that if Dr. King embraced all races and colors in his quest for racial equality and justice, students can do the same in athletic competition and in life.

“To win on the field you have to get to know each other and respect each other,” Ty said.

Chelsey and Ty could see in the faces of the student athletes that the video and a unity march that followed were meaningful. “It was very powerful and huge for our students. It was a day of hope, a day of recognizing that we can all come together as one,” Ty said.

Because, as Chesley put it, “you never want anyone to feel uncomfortable in their own skin,” more “coming together” is on the horizon at YC. The college’s latest strategic plan heralds belonging and equity and delineates specific actions to advance both values. An example is the launch this semester of the African American Leadership Association. Spearheaded by YC Vice President of Community Relations and Student Development Rodney Jenkins and other YC faculty and staff of color, the AALA aims to advance the academic and personal success of students of color with mentorships and leadership, growth and community service opportunities. The AALA kickoff is a free, all-student dance party on the Prescott campus on March 3.

“Under the leadership of YC President Dr. Lisa Rhine, we are committed to assuring the college experience is one that highlights, supports and celebrates our diversity,” Jenkins said. Referring to the MLK celebration that Chelsey and Ty organized, Jenkins said celebrating diversity “includes helping students of all races and ethnicities learn about the tragedies and triumphs of people of color. After all black history is part of American history and culture.”

YC is making great strides in creating an environment where everyone feels welcome and valued, Chelsey and Ty believe. “We have one of the most diverse environments within the entire county. We have got to ensure we provide representation for all of our students,” Ty said.

Helping students commemorate black history and thrive in college is part of paying MLK’s legacy forward and remind all of us how to keep Dr. King’s dream alive, Ty and Chelsey said.

“They help to remind me I have to continue to push forward. As an African-American woman I get discriminated against all the time… but like MLK I’m pushing forward with the understanding that you’re not fighting with your fists, you’re not fighting with violence. You’re fighting with words. Understanding that is a huge part of my life,” Chelsey said.