MHCC Observes Black History

Civil rights leaders Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Reverend Jesse Jackson

Chiderah Edeh

The Advocate

Walking through Mt. Hood Community College during Black History Month feels different. 

In the Student Union, posters of influential Black leaders sit on tables. In the library, quotes line the walls. Faces look back at you — activists, educators, organizers, artists, people who sacrificed, who led movements, who poured into their communities so others could live safer and fuller lives. Even small displays, like flyers for events or bulletin boards featuring local Black history, catch your attention. For a moment, it feels like the entire campus is part of a larger conversation — a conversation about struggle, progress and remembrance. 

It’s easy to walk past the displays without stopping. But when you slow down, the images begin to feel heavier — not in a negative way, but in a meaningful one. They remind students that Black History Month is not just about celebration; it is about recognition, reflection and responsibility. 

That reflection extended to campus events this month, including a screening of Priced Out. The documentary follows Nikki Williams, a longtime Black resident of Northeast Portland, as she navigates the effects of gentrification and displacement in her community. Instead of relying on numbers or graphs, the film tells its story through Williams’ personal experience, showing how rising housing costs and redevelopment slowly push families out of neighborhoods they have called home for generations. 

For students, the film connected history and activism to present-day issues. It was a reminder that the sacrifices and work of past generations are not just stories from long ago — they continue to shape communities today. Some students shared that seeing events like the screening, combined with the posters and quotes on campus, made Black History Month feel more intentional, meaningful and connected to real life. 

Rather than presenting history as something distant, the film connected past inequities to present realities. It showed how policies and economic shifts continue to affect Black communities today, reminding viewers that the sacrifices of past generations are tied to ongoing struggles for stability, housing and belonging. 

Black History Month is more than celebration. It is remembrance. It is recognizing the individuals who challenged injustice and built opportunities for future generations. It is also acknowledging that their work is not finished. 

When February ends and the posters come down, the question remains: How do we continue remembering, honoring and building on what they started?