Civil Rights Icon Dr. Joyce Ladner Visits Rialto Resident, Sharing Past Lessons and Advocating for Education

A living legend recently visited Rialto, leaving a lasting impact through her wisdom and experiences. Dr. Joyce Ladner, President Emeritus of Howard University and a distinguished member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), delivered a powerful message during a community event hosted by Dakira Williams. The gathering focused on promoting literacy through oral history and primary source artifacts.

“I wanted to share with parents, community members, and students, including my two young girls, the importance of inclusion and history as it pertains to us,” Williams said.

The event drew a diverse crowd eager to engage with history in a meaningful way. The highlight was Dr. Ladner’s lecture, where she shared her personal experiences as a young advocate during the 1963 March on Washington. Her firsthand account offered attendees an intimate glimpse into one of the most pivotal moments in the Civil Rights Movement, as depicted in the recent film “Rustin.”

The film, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on August 31, 2023, and later screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, tells the true story of Bayard Rustin, a key organizer of the March on Washington and a close collaborator with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Ladner’s involvement in this historic event, as portrayed in the film, added a rich layer of context and authenticity to her lecture.

In addition to Dr. Ladner’s compelling presentation, the event featured a mini workshop facilitated by Hardy Brown II, Executive Director of Footsteps to Freedom. Brown’s workshop provided attendees with hands-on experience using primary source artifacts and documents from the Civil Rights era, further deepening their understanding of the historical context surrounding the March on Washington.

An active parent who attended the event with their children expressed gratitude for the opportunity, saying, “This experience with Dr. Ladner and Mr. Hardy Brown was an eye-opener. We were so excited to meet this living legend and to be able to learn about her message of respecting, understanding, and working with all people to make a positive difference through education and advocacy. Thank you, Dakira Williams, for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with Dr. Ladner.”