Alumni Spotlight: Gerald Rivers, the voice of MLK, Jr.

Acting has always been in Gerald’s blood. After high school, while traveling with a troupe of actors, Gerald started speaking the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. Fast forward to today where Gerald is known nationally as the voice of MLK, Jr., travelling the world sharing Dr. King’s sermons and speeches.

In addition to the numerous outreach and speaking engagements throughout the U.S., Gerald is also a master West African drummer and instructor, an esteemed member of the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum Company, and a voice-over artist for movies, TV shows, national commercials and video games.

Gerald’s LACC Story

As Gerald was growing up in the tough neighborhood of Compton, it never occurred to him that college could be part of his life. During his senior year of high school, Gerald took a forensics class and discovered he had a talent for public speaking. His teacher informed him of a scholarship specifically for students from Compton who were studying forensics. Receiving this scholarship enabled Gerald to attend LACC, changing the trajectory of his life.

At LACC, Gerald met students who were just like him. Like Gerald, they grew up in neighborhoods where education wasn’t a priority and despite their circumstances, they were pushing through these societal and cultural barriers and attending LACC to make better lives for themselves and their families. Gerald’s big personality earned him a spot on Student Government as the Social Chair and then served as Student Body President for two years. Under Gerald’s leadership, students protested against apartheid in South Africa—the first community college to do so—secured funding for a parking lot for students; created a partnership with Alexandria Elementary school to encourage higher education among young students; and much more. While at LACC from 1983-1987, Gerald learned and absorbed lessons about the world of politics, diplomacy and business for the first time.

Throughout his time at LACC, Gerald won countless forensic awards. With the help of classmate Florence Avognon, they revitalized the forensics team on campus, lined up sponsors, and took home title after title.

Gerald also paved his own path at LACC. Although he never was a member of the Theatre Academy, he took every theater class he could because he knew he wanted to be an actor. Gerald worked with the Theatre department and the African-American Studies department to receive his Theatre Academy degree. He was the first and only student to do so without ever auditioning for the Academy. To earn this degree, he had to write a thesis on African-Americans in theatre and write, produce, and direct his own play on the Camino Theatre stage.
Gerald’s achievements at LACC enabled him to apply and receive acceptance into the prestigious all-male, historically African-American Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. At Morehouse, Gerald continued to act and compete in forensic tournaments throughout the U.S., and earned top prizes.

Returning to His Alma Mater

At the upcoming LACC Foundation Gala, Gerald will share his story with our audience and has graciously agreed to be the voice-over artist in a new video for the Foundation that will debut that evening. In addition, Gerald Rivers is returning to LACC in April to perform his ground breaking stage production, Martin & Music, with his partner, Broadway star Charles Holt.

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