The fourth annual People Empowering People Rally will be held at 11 a.m. on April 28 at the Rotunda, located outside of Collins Library.

“I definitely think [the rally is] important because it is a great way to showcase the diversity that we have on this campus,” sophomore Jami Sanborn said. “I definitely encourage everyone to go. It’ll be a fun experience.”

This year, the Multicultural Affairs Office is pairing with the Student Activities Council in order to attract a larger portion of the campus. Sanborn, the cultural and social issues coordinator, was asked to work with the Multicultural Affairs Office on behalf of SAC.

The rally will showcase performances from students with diverse talents such as singing, spoken word, and dancing. Scheduled performers are Andrew Emanuels and Rachel Ash, Cody Keener, Madison Wendt and Brandon Haefke, Matt Maumalanga, and Tyler Sloan. Junior Bryan Richardson will be the emcee.

Director of Multicultural Affairs and Associate Dean of Students Teresa Clounch, along with Sanborn, has worked to organize the acts, design t-shirts, and assemble the advertising for the rally.

“It is an opportunity for our current students to continue a tradition,” Clounch said. “Regardless of what happened three or four years ago, some of the issues that took place then are just as important now. There is an opportunity for students to stay involved as well as show their support for the community.”

Baker University graduate Denesha Jones started the rally during her sophomore year following the Trayvon Martin incident, in connection with an assignment from one of her classes.

“The inspiration came from a lot of the students on campus,” Jones said. “It was important for us to have something that showed that everyone on campus could be united.”

Though the rally has taken on different characteristics throughout its history, Jones is excited and “very, very thankful for everyone participating in the rally.”

“From the first time to the last two years that I did it, it improved so much,” she said. “I was really happy to see how excited people were.”