Simon Estes receives Iowa Wesleyan Presidential Medal for Outstanding Merit

MT. PLEASANT - World-renowned opera singer Simon Estes was presented with the Iowa Wesleyan Presidential Medal for Outstanding Merit on Monday evening.

Estes was invited by the university to speak at the annual celebration service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The service also featured performances by members of the Mt. Pleasant Chorale and the Iowa Wesleyan Choir, as well as testimonials and short speeches by students.

University president, Christine Plunkett, presented the award to Estes. The medal's citation notes many of Estes' accomplishments, including 'creating scholarship organizations” for students across the nation, 'establishing foundations and programs that financially assist underprivileged and needy children,” and 'raising thousands of dollars to eliminate malaria in Africa.”

In his address, Estes spoke about his experiences with racism as he grew up in Centerville, Iowa in the 1950s.

'I was born in 1938 … my grandfather was a slave and he came to Centerville because of the coal mines,” Estes said at the start of his speech.

'I grew up in a very, very poor family, economically speaking … but I'm very grateful I was born with a darker skin color than most people in Centerville,” Estes said. 'I'm grateful that I was born in a home that we would call ‘poverty-stricken' But we were multimillionaires in our faith in God and Jesus Christ.”

Estes recalled being the only person of color in his high school's graduating class and recounted a time when going to the movies meant he had to sit in a separate part of the theater designated for non-white people. Estes said there was a time when his friends stood up for him to the theater's manager, which afforded him an opportunity to sit in the main floor to watch a movie.

'I saw the screen like I never had before,” Estes said.

Estes, who had the opportunity to see Dr. King speak at Coe College in Cedar Rapids in 1962, said the prominent civil rights leader was 'a great promoter of peace and brotherly love.”

'He was a man who really loved love,” Estes said. 'And he loved peace, and he loved non-violence. He gave his life for all of us … to try to help us love one another. Non-violence is the best policy.”

Betty Mullen, an alumna of the university and a Mt. Pleasant resident, echoed Estes' comments about Dr. King's policy of non-violence.

'I love his philosophy on non-violence, that we can talk things out, work solutions,” Mullen said. 'During his time, we didn't say ‘be proactive now.' Now, instead of being reactive, we are being proactive. When you stir up something, people want to fight, but he said ‘don't fight, talk it out.'”

Many students who spoke during the service encouraged community members and other students to consider ways to be vocal for underrepresented groups. In her short address, Irais Lopez said she continues to think about what she can do to improve her campus, and bring awareness to the LGBTQ and Hispanic communities.

'At this school, it clearly states that we all have an opportunity to make a change and it's up to us to decide whether we want to do that or not. So ask yourself that question. What are you doing for others?” she said.