Big Picture

Step by Step

Written by Robyn Kontra Tanner
Photos by Joe Johnston
Photos by Dylan Head

To commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., members of the Cal Poly community marched through campus on their way to the 8th annual MLK Legacy event, hosted by the Black Academic Excellence Center.

BAEC coordinator Christina Sholars Ortiz led the crowd from Dexter Lawn to the Performing Arts Center as participants held signs commemorating milestones in King’s lifetime of championing equality, justice, and peace. That evening, Scholars Ortiz and Black Student Union vice president Genesis Glover accepted MLK Legacy awards for their leadership to “creating a better campus for all.”

Christina Scholars Ortiz and Genesis Glover smile holding awards.

A student plays a trumpet in front of a microphone and colorful balloons.

People sit at tables surrounded by colorful balloons at Cal Poly's MLK Legacy event in 2024.

First image: Christina Scholars Ortiz (left) and Genesis Glover accept the MLK Legacy Award. Second image: The event featured speeches and musical performances. Third image: the 8th annual event opened with a rendition of Lift Every Voice and Sing.