Sac State's MLK Center helps Black students succeed in school and beyond
SACRAMENTO — Reverand Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is perhaps the most recognizable leader of the Civil Rights Movement. Monday, on what would have been his 95th birthday, our nation commemorated his life, work, and call for unity.
Among the many things Dr. King fought for was access to quality education. The MLK Center at Sacramento State is helping African American students succeed in school and beyond.
Xavier Pickens is a senior at Sac State. He serves as a student leader at the MLK Center helping young Black students find their way.
"I feel like we get a lot of those students, where they're going "Man, I don't know if I can do this," and they find themselves in here," Pickens said. "We're just showing them genuine love, giving them hope, encouraging discipline."
Zyearre Amoha is a peer counselor at the center. He knows all too well what it means to find other students on campus who can relate.
"Coming from someone like myself – that looks just like me, acts like me – it's like I'm talking to my younger self, like a little brother in a way," Amoha said.
African American students at Sac State make up just 6% of the student population. With Black student enrollment and retention down across all CSU campuses, the MLK Center at Sac State serves as a place where African American students can feel at home.
For the past eight years, the center has been offering wrap-around services that include financial resources, mental health support, tutoring, and cultural programs.
Dr. Marcellene Watson-Derbigny is the director of the MLK Center. She's also the vice president for student retention and academic success.
For the past three decades, she has dedicated her work to enriching the lives of African American students on campus and after graduation.
"Because we are the Martin Luther King Center, we embody the mission and values of Dr. King and continue to live out his dream through the services and work that we do each day to help our communities to come out better," Dr. Watson-Derbigny said.
Through the years and their message of inclusion, the center has made some gains with retention among African American students and graduation rates.
In fact, some of those grads have returned to the center to give back.
"Some of our alumni come back to do financial literacy sessions with our students, be speakers for recognition ceremonies, programs and graduations, as well as offer their time to support students," Dr. Watson-Derbigny said.
As the country remembers and honors the civil rights leader, the MLK Center staff reflected on what the holiday means to them.
"It's way bigger than a holiday. It's a lifestyle now," Amoha said.
"That we have to live out his dream despite everything that we face," Dr. Watson-Derbigny said. "We must strive for unity and we must strive to love one another."
"When the world moves with love everything else just happens better that way," Pickens said.
Head here for a list of all the services offered at the MLK Center.