On Monday, PNWU Roots to Wings students played an integral role in the Annual MLK March and Celebration in Yakima, an event hosted by Yakima Community Leaders under the direction of OIC of Washington. This year’s celebration, centered on the theme Building Community, invited participants from across the region to honor the life, leadership, and enduring legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Among the most visible contributions were more than 160 “art as activism” posters created by middle and high school students—an effort made possible through PNWU’s Roots to Wings program.
In the weeks leading up to the march, PNWU student mentors worked closely with Roots to Wings youth, guiding them through a hands‑on educational experience that blended public health concepts with civic engagement. The session paired an introductory epidemiology lesson with discussions about Dr. King’s impact on social justice, equity, and community well‑being. Together, students explored how public health and civil rights intersect, and how young people can use knowledge and creativity to promote positive change.
The resulting posters—filled with powerful messages, vibrant artwork, and reflections inspired by Dr. King—were proudly displayed throughout the celebration. Community members paused to read and reflect on the students’ work, sparking conversations about health, equity, and the shared responsibility of building stronger communities.
For PNWU, the event offered more than a service opportunity; it was a meaningful reminder of the university’s mission to develop compassionate leaders committed to service and community engagement. By supporting local partners and uplifting youth voices across the Yakima Valley, PNWU students demonstrated the transformative impact of collaborative, community‑based learning. Experiences like this help carry forward Dr. King’s vision while strengthening PNWU’s role in promoting equity, health, and hope throughout the region.
Centered on the theme Building Community, the celebration aligned closely with PNWU’s mission to promote service, leadership, and community engagement. By participating, PNWU students demonstrated a commitment to working alongside local partners and uplifting voices across the region. Experiences like this encourage our students, faculty, and staff to remain engaged in meaningful community‑based opportunities, advancing Dr. King’s vision of equity and collective responsibility while strengthening PNWU’s impact in the Yakima Valley.
Thank you to our group leaders and instructors
Yesenia Navarrete Hunter, PhD
Dr. Hunter is a trained historian, artist, musician, and scholar. She is an Associate Professor of History at Heritage University in Washington State. Dr. Hunter was born in Mexico and came to the U.S. as a child. She is the daughter of Guadalupe Marquez and Alberto Marquez, now of Wapato, Washington, where she grew up as a migrant farm worker. Her public history work is guided by the question: How do people make place and create rhythms of belonging in fragile spaces? The aesthetics of her work are guided by elements of place, memory, embodied practices, and relationality.
Yasmin Barrios, PhD
Dr. Barrios is an Epidemiologist. She is from Sunnyside, and earned her PhD in Epidemiology, something she knew early on that she wanted to do. Through a UW fellowship working with the Peruvian Ministry of Health, Dr. Barrios received early-career grant funding for maternal and child health projects. As a research assistant working alongside clinicians and social workers, she spent the summer before her MPH program in Lima, advocating for public health and for research within a resource-limited areas, similar to rural communities here in Yakima County.
Lolinda Turner, BS RDA
Lolinda is the Director of Student Success and Engagement at Pacific Northwest University School of Dental Medicine. She is a Registered Dental Assistant with over 20 years of experience. She is also a skilled and trained DEI Practitioner and was a Dental Assistant Instructor. She is the 2023 Puget Sound Business Journal Healthcare Hero recipient and the 2022 Delta Dental of Washington CEO Innovation Award recipient. Her work entails exposing, encouraging, and supporting youth and young adults from all backgrounds to the wonderful world of dentistry.
Thank you to our supporters
Funding for this project was provided through a generous contribution from the following organizations:
