Students at the College of Idaho honored Martin Luther King Jr. by giving back to the community and learning about equality.
The participated in a series of events to gain empathy.
Students participated in two poverty simulations. One off campus where students visited Farmway Village in Caldwell, a local low-income housing development. The idea is to see a former labor camp and learn about the role immigrant laborers played on local economies and the agriculture industry. At the same time, students provide service for the community by cleaning out gutters.
On campus, a second poverty simulation is designed to allow participants to understand what it might be like to live in a typical low-income family trying to survive month to month. The idea is sensitizing participants to the realities these families face.
"I think there's a negative stigma about people who live in these kinds of areas," student Daniel Hernandez said. "But you know, sometimes you got to think life happens. Some people can't proceed to go on because of something that happened in the past and they're taking care of their family. And just coming here and learning about how much of your annual income you have to spend on housing. It's really eye opening."
Also in honor of Dr. King's work, students and volunteers are putting together hygiene kits for homeless teens.
Items include razors, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, toothbrushes, feminine hygiene products and bars of soap.