What are you doing today to make the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. a reality?

How are you contributing to our community? Are you volunteering? In what ways do you serve others?

Elizabeth Rosiles-Zavala, Gateway Technical College director of Hispanic Student Programming, asked these questions, and more, of audience members at Gateway’s 29th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration held today at the college’s Kenosha Campus.

“My question for you is what is your dream today and what are you doing to make it a reality?” said Rosiles, who was the keynote speaker for this year’s event. “Are we helping each other? Are we standing up when we see injustices? Are we standing up for freedom?”

Rosiles also encouraged the audience to consider volunteering for a nonprofit organization, or to become a role model for youth. Whatever strengths people possess can be used to help others, she said.

“I believe we all have talents, skills and abilities,” said Rosiles.

She also told the audience her personal dream as a little girl was to be a college student. “I wanted to show my parents and my siblings that I could achieve my dream. It wasn’t easy – but I did it, and so can you,” she said.

At the event, Gateway also honored Tamarra Coleman, James Kinchen and Scott Terry’s Mahogany Gallery and Cultural Center as this year’s Gateway Technical College Dr. King Humanitarians, recognizing them for their contributions to society, their school, business or profession, as well as their dedication to volunteerism or philanthropic life’s work.

Tamarra Coleman is the executive director of the Shalom Center in Kenosha. James Kinchen is a music professor at UW-Parkside, where he also serves as director of Choral Activities. Scott Terry owns Mahogany Gallery and created the Black Arts Culture Center. The gallery is a commercial fine arts  gallery, and the culture center is Racine County’s first African American history museum, which preserves, exhibits and researches African-American contributions to the county.

Zina Haywood, Gateway’s former provost and a longtime leader of Gateway’s Dr. King event committee, was also honored at the event. The Mitchell Steppers also performed a stepping routine at the event.

The Dr. King event was held in-person and a recording of the ceremony will be made available through the college’s website and social media.