MEET THE
EQUITY AVENGERS

OUR STORY

At a California Community College CEO Conference over 10 years ago, Dr. Pamela Luster facilitated an accreditation panel, during which Dr. Keith Curry made an impassioned statement requesting support for Compton College. Unfortunately, due to time limitations, he wasn’t able to finish his statement, and the session ended. Dr. Luster apologized personally for not being able to provide that platform, and the discussion began. Both discovered that they started their official CEO positions at the same time, just that year. The two had the opportunity to discuss common ground and the work central to their careers, equitable outcomes for all students, and in particular, racial equity.

Over the next several years, Drs. Curry and Luster served together on various higher education equity boards and initiatives. They found that while their early life backgrounds were dissimilar, their future vision looked very similar. These common leadership issues regarding student-athletes, racial equity, basic needs, and more have been a hallmark of their shared work. In Spring 2020, the Equity Avengers created #EquityChat, sponsored by the College Futures Foundation, a weekly conversation held on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) discussion for higher education leaders and the online community.

Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson has also been a leader in several statewide efforts to find solutions that address students’ basic needs, support undocumented and mixed-status students, and achieve social justice through focused racial equity efforts. In addition, she spent years working alongside Drs. Curry and Luster as president of Laney College and Evergreen Valley College and now Chancellor at Peralta Community Colleges, and she was inspired to accept the invitation to join the Equity Avengers as its third member in May 2022.

Dr. Curry and Dr. Luster established the Equity Avengers to recognize their united work – addressing community college students’ needs. Over the years, they have presented at national and state conferences on the following topics: community college athletics, basic needs of college students, dual enrollment, diversity, equity, and inclusion, community college CEO leadership, student completion, and guided pathways.

Meet The #EquityAvengers

EQUITY AVENGERS

Dr. Keith Curry

Dr. Keith Curry is the President of the Compton College and CEO of the Compton Community College District. Compton College is the 114th California Community College, achieving initial accreditation status on June 7, 2017. Dr. Curry is responsible for overseeing all departments and functions of Compton College and the District and serves as secretary for the CCCD Board of Trustees. He brings an abundance of energy and innovative ideas to Compton College, along with a wealth of experience as a postsecondary education administrator.

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Equity Statement

Racial equity is a process of eliminating racial disparities and improving outcomes for everyone. We have to be intentional and continue the practice of changing policies, practices, systems, and structures by prioritizing measurable change in the lives of people of color. We must be unapologetic about addressing racial equity, because our position and decisions will impact students and their families for generations.

Full Bio

Dr. Curry is an active member of the Foundation for Compton Community College District, the Association of California Community College Administrators, the California Community College Athletic Association, the Statewide Association of Community Colleges (SWACC), the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice Advisory Board, and the President’s Roundtable. He has participated on Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) Visiting Teams, most recently for San Quentin University Prison Project.

In 2018, Dr. Curry received the Harry Buttimer Distinguished Administrator Award. The Association of California Community College Administrators bestows the award to administrators who demonstrate integrity, principle, compassion, strength in leadership, and who have made significant contributions to the college district and community.

At the 2019 Community College League of California Annual Conference, Dr. Curry was honored as one of three 2019 Champions of Equity by the Campaign for College Opportunity and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational fund. The award honors those who prioritize student-centered policies that produce equitable outcomes and expand opportunities for Californians.

In June 2020, Dr. Curry was invited by Governor Newsom’s Senior Policy Advisor for Higher Education Lande Ajose to serve on the California Higher Education Recovery with Equity Task Force.

Dr. Curry earned his doctorate in educational leadership from the University of California, Irvine, and a bachelor’s degree in American studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Dr. Curry is an adjunct faculty member for the College of Education at California State University, Fullerton.

MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES

WHAT MAKES US EQUITY AVENGERS

Mission

Our mission is to engage, educate, and empower higher education organizations and individuals to eliminate student opportunity and outcome gaps by cultivating partnerships and resources necessary to embed racial equity, critical humility, and learning across our systems.

Vision

Our vision is to build a higher education community focused on eliminating racial equity gaps by developing and supporting leaders who act and drive large-scale change, resulting in equitable student outcomes.

Values

Disrupt
Engage Educate Empower

MEET THE EQUITY AVENGERS