Welcome to the 2019 Reverend Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. Scholarship Reception.
I am pleased to celebrate the life and
work of Dr. King and our institution's
commitment to student success for all
students - a mantra that starts at the top.
>>The Martin Luther King scholarship has
been awarded at the College of DuPage
for approximately 20 years. It is meant
to recognize someone who has
demonstrated the values of peace and
social justice that Dr. King espoused.
>>Ever since elementary school when I
first learned about MLK, I've been
intrigued by his humbleness and
effective leadership. I began to envision
myself in his footsteps because if MLK
can rise from the ashes of
discrimination, bigotry, racism, hate, etc,
yet still emerge as a respectable and
constructive human being, then what can
stop me? Injustice anywhere is a threat
to justice everywhere. We are caught in
an inescapable network of mutuality tied
in a single garment of destiny. Whatever
affects one directly affects all
indirectly. We are not immune from the
afflictions of the world and
consequently the world does not benefit
when we...when only one part flourishes.
This is a strong ideal I hope to live by
for the rest of my personal and professional life.
>>Dr. Martin Luther King
said if a man hasn't discovered
something that he's willing to die for,
he isn't fit to live. He believed that
passion is important in order to reach
success.
He believed that each individual
deserves equality and justice and I
believe that every woman who has
suffered from commercial sexual
exploitation deserves a new start and a
fresh perspective to achieve her great
purposes in this life. I want to leave
you all with just the encouragement to
never lose hope because sometimes people
that are close to losing hope are some
of the people you would never ever
believe so that's my charge today is
just...if you can't walk, crawl...if you
can't crawl, move forward but please just
move forward and thank you so much for
helping me move forward in my education.
[applause]
