Men of Color Event Draws High School and TCTC Students, Community Partners Overcoming Obstacles: Financially, Academically, Mentally and Emotionally (FAME) was the theme of the third annual Men of Color luncheon held on October 14. The Men of Color initiative is dedicated to attracting and retaining a diverse student population and engaging with others about educational opportunities on campus and beyond. The goal is to educate, motivate, inspire, and empower these men and to let them know they have a place at Tri-County. Milan Richard, former Clemson University national championship football player and business entrepreneur, was the keynote speaker for the event, which drew nearly 100 guests.
“I’m thankful that I was able to play football and go the places I did, but I learned that my purpose is to impact other people. Football was the vehicle to push me to find my passion—owning my own business,” said Milan. The event also featured a panel discussion with Milan; Rodney Estrada, TCTC employability service coordinator; Luis Martinez, vice president and commercial lending South State Bank, Anderson; and Don Peppers, founder of Proverbs Mentoring Organization and athletic director at Anderson Christian School. Many thanks to our generous community partners, South State Bank, Restoration Project Foundation and the Pendleton Rhinos, for sponsoring this stellar event.
The TCTC Men of Color Committee spent countless hours planning and organizing this impactful event. Several members are pictured here with panelists and guest speaker Milan Richard, seated, left. From left (standing) are Travis Durham; Luis Martinez; Rodney Estrada, Don Peppers, and Brian Smith. Seated, center is Dr. Lanieka Musalini, and Dr. Jackie Blakley is seated, right. Not pictured is August Johnson.
The event featured a panel discussion with, from left, Luis Martinez, vice president and commercial lending South State Bank, Anderson; Don Peppers, founder of Proverbs Mentoring Organization and athletic director at Anderson Christian School; Milan Richard, former Clemson University national championship football player and business entrepreneur; and Rodney Estrada, TCTC employability service coordinator.
September/October 2021 • 11
