Martin Luther King Jr. Equity Center

Tanya McClain, MSW
Director

Welcome to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Equity Center, part of the Office of Empowerment at Lansing Community College (LCC).

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said: "Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality."

To that end, the MLK Jr Equity Center exists to ensure that all students, staff, faculty, and members of the LCC community have what they need to succeed at LCC and beyond;

The Equity Center plays a proactive role in creating an equitable and inclusive campus by providing support, addressing concerns early, and promoting systemic change. Our efforts aim to foster a positive, welcoming environment where every individual can thrive and be what they ought to be. This is how we focus on fostering and promoting equity, inclusion, and belonging in every aspect of campus life: Read More

1) We drive systemic changes - beyond addressing individual issues, the Equity Center is committed to creating long-term, sustainable changes throughout LCC.

2) We employ prevention, early intervention and conflict resolution techniques – to foster a healthy, supportive campus environment. This includes frequent communication and pulse checks across the campus and mediation and conflict resolution designed to prevent issues from escalating into more serious matters.

3) We support everyone with special attention to marginalized groups – to provide advocacy and support to individuals or groups who feel underrepresented, marginalized and/or face barriers to success. By ensuring they have the necessary resources, we help them navigate any challenges they encounter.

4) We promote inclusive practices – through collaboration with faculty, staff, students and departments, we ensure policies and practices across the college are equitable and accessible to all and aligned with the college's commitment to equity.

5) We promote campus wide engagement – through events and initiatives including hosting dialogues, town halls, workshops, and campus-wide campaigns that foster conversations on equity and inclusion.

6) We assist with institutional accountability: by tracking progress on equity goals through equity audits and climate surveys.

7) We develop long-term equity plans: to develop strategies that address systemic inequities in student success, faculty diversity, and campus accessibility.

The Equity Center's focus on systemic changes ensures that equity becomes an integral part of LCC's operations, policies, and practices. By addressing root causes of inequity, we help build a campus environment that is welcoming and supportive for everyone.

Important note:

While we address equity concerns systemically, legal matters, including Title IX issues, are handled by our very professional and capable HR, Legal & Compliance Departments.

Please come back often to see what's happening in the Martin Luther King Jr. Equity Center.