Second-year student Zora Williams is using her voice to bring more mental health and nutrition programming to San Diego Mesa College. Williams was elected president of the college’s Associated Students (AS) for the 2024-2025 academic year and serves as the college’s student representative on the San Diego Community College District Board of Trustees.
Sometimes, you hear a story that makes you want to know more. Kevin Gonzalez has such a story. The last time this story was updated, San Diego Mesa College student Kevin Gonzalez was a 15 year-old heading off to Massachusetts to complete his high school education. In the ensuing years, he has travelled to the other side of the world, built houses, but remained in close contact with his Mesa College professors and connections he made while on campus.
The San Diego Community College District has appointed four new student trustees for the upcoming academic year. Dalia Ramirez (San Diego City College), Zora Williams (San Diego Mesa College), Hailey Hua (San Diego Miramar College), and Haydee Zuniga (San Diego College of Continuing Education), will be sworn in during the June 20 SDCCD Board of Trustees meeting.
February 7, 2025
On February 5, 2025, San Diego Mesa College commemorated the birthday of civil rights activist Rosa Parks with its annual celebration and libation ceremony. The event served as the college’s official kickoff for Black History Month, contributing to this year’s theme of Transit Justice. A large gathering of students, faculty, and community members came together to honor Parks’ quiet act of defiance—one that changed the course of history.
The event began with a silent walk from the Humanities & Multicultural Studies building to the dedicated Rosa Parks Transit Station, where the ceremony took place. Throughout the walk, participants were encouraged to reflect on those who had to walk instead of riding the bus after Rosa Parks historic act of resistance. Many students and staff showed their support by clapping, filming for social media, and even joining the walk, holding signs with messages such as “Love is always the answer” and “We are the power.”
Following the walk to the transit station, the ceremony began with a libation ceremony, an African tradition to honor the ancestors, led by Black Studies professor, Thekima Mayasa. “Nothing begins without a tribute to the ancestors”, she stated. Throughout the ceremony, participants shared reflections on the impact of Rosa Parks’ act of resistance and ongoing legacy. “Love your resistance out loud. We need to see it, hear it, be it” shared San Diego Mesa College President, Dr. Ashanti Hands.
Guest speakers from Climate Action Change and the Mid-City Community Advocacy Network emphasized the modern-day implications of transit justice, connecting Rosa Parks’ fight to current challenges in public transportation access and equity.
A highlight of the event was the presentation of an official City Council Proclamation by the office of Councilmember Henry L. Foster III (District 4). The proclamation declared February 5, 2025, as Rosa Parks Transit Equity Day in San Diego.
San Diego Mesa College holds a special connection to Rosa Parks, dating back to her three visits to the campus from 1992-1995. Following her passing in 2005, the college honored her memory by dedicating the Rosa Parks Transit Center in 2010—a space that highlights the quiet strength that all people have within them to take a stand against repression and injustice.
Rosa Parks used her life as a catalyst for change. As Mesa College honors her contributions, the message is clear: “We recommit ourselves to the ongoing fight for social justice.”
Join the Black History Month Celebrations
This event is part of San Diego Mesa College’s 2025 Black History Month calendar of events, which features performances, exhibits, discussions, film screenings, and more. Most events are free and open to the public. Details of all events can be found here: www.sdmesa.edu/black-history-month
About San Diego Mesa College
San Diego Mesa College is a fully accredited, comprehensive college committed to equity and excellence. We honor our diverse community of students, faculty, professional staff, and administrators who collaborate to foster scholarship, leadership, access, and innovation in an inclusive learning environment. By promoting student learning and achievement that leads to degrees and certificates, transfer, workforce training, and lifelong learning, we empower our students to reach their educational goals and shape their future. Among the largest community colleges in California, Mesa serves approximately 29,000 students per year, 25% of whom are full-time. Mesa offers over 200 associate degree and certificate programs and is one of 15 California community colleges offering a four-year baccalaureate degree. Mesa ranks as one of San Diego’s top transfer institutions, is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI), and a Military Friendly Gold Status School, serving nearly 2,500 active duty, veterans, and their families. www.sdmesa.edu [sdmesa.edu]
Tags: Rosa Parks Transit Stop, Rosa Parks, Black History Month
Anabell Pulido
Director of Communications
apulido@sdccd.edu
(619) 388-2759
On February 5, 2025, San Diego Mesa College commemorated the birthday of civil rights activist Rosa Parks with its annual celebration and libation ceremony. The event served as the college’s official kickoff for Black History Month, contributing to this year’s theme of Transit Justice. A large gathering of students, faculty, and community members came together to honor Parks’ quiet act of defiance—one that changed the course of history.
Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Every year, the San Diego Mesa College Library joins in the celebration by creating and curating a Black History Month Library Guide – filled with resources of what is available not only at the San Diego Mesa College library, but through other community resources as well.
Denise Rogers is a professor of art history at San Diego Mesa College, manages the college’s World Art permanent collection, and is the curator of “Africa in Context,” currently on display through Feb. 23 at the college in celebration of Black History Month. By Lisa Deaderick | February 4, 2023 As a young girl growing up in southeastern San Diego’s Shelltown neighborhood, Denise Rogers spent time flipping through the pages of Time and Life magazines her mother kept on their coffee table. At the time, she just enjoyed the pictures from galleries in New York, Paris, and Italy. Later, after an introductory art course prompted her to change her major from fashion design to art history, she found a career path that allowed her to pair her love of both history and art.
