LYNNWOOD—Dr. Paul A. Stoot Sr, Senior Pastor/Founder of Greater Trinity Church, Founder/CEO of Rise Up Academy, and Lynnwood Times’ 2025 Person of the Year was the keynote speaker for Edmonds College’s MLK Celebration: Together We Stand: Justice Beyond the Dream event.
“Today, we’re here to talk about something big—bigger than me, bigger than any of us individually. Our theme is “Together We Stand: Justice Beyond the Dream,” said Dr. Stoot, Sr. “Now, I know that sounds deep—and trust me, it is—but it’s also an invitation. An invitation to honor the past, challenge the present, and build a future where justice isn’t just an idea—justice is a reality.”
Through his philanthropic endeavors with Rise Up Academy, Dr. Stoot has successfully raised over $7 million for various programs, initiatives, and new infrastructure, significantly enhancing the educational landscape for the community. He founded Rise Up Academy to provide accessible and innovative education, believing it is the cornerstone of closing the achievement gap and building a more equitable future for all.
Dr. Stoot, Sr. began his speech by sharing a story about a kid from Houston, Texas, growing up in a place where opportunities were scarce and expectations for kids like him were even scarcer. That kid eventually joined the United States Navy where he learned a lot about duty, responsibility, and leadership. That kid was, in fact, him — Dr. Paul A. Stoot, Sr.
“How many of you have been underestimated before? Counted out before you even got a chance to show what you can do? I’ve been there too. But let me tell you something: those experiences—like the Clint Eastwood movie The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly—are what shaped me,” said Dr. Stoot, Sr. “They gave me the grit to push through, to pursue degrees in Business Administration, Manufacturing Operations, and Theology. But more importantly, they taught me that leadership isn’t about power. It’s about service.”
Eventually Stoot, Sr. found his calling in Everett, Washington, where he co-founded Greater Trinity Church with NFL Hall of Famer Kenny Easley, who played for the Seattle Seahawks. What started as a Bible study in his living room, quickly turned into a movement.
By 1999, Stoot and Easley had founded Greater Trinity Academy, a school created to close the achievement gap for families who had been left behind. They sparked a movement to change the achievement gap, focusing on students who had not been considered significant. They were told they would not measure up to anything and would eventually become a product of their environment.
Starting with children as young as two years old, they worked with them to create a solid foundation. Now, they have five-year-olds reading at a 6th-grade level, setting them up for success, Dr. Stoot said.
In 2002, Dr. Stoot, Sr. had the honor of welcoming Martin Luther King, III, during his first-ever trip to Washington. During this visit, he shared a powerful lesson with him to “always be ready to lift others up,’ while prefacing to not just “lift others up for self-righteous reasons…do it because you see their potential. Do it because you understand what it’s like when others don’t believe in you.”
“His words have stuck with me, and I continue to instill those values in our students,” said Dr. Stoot, Sr. “And today, at Rise Up Academy, we live by the motto: “I Can Learn Anything.” Say that with me: “I Can Learn Anything!”
Transitioning into the theme of unity in diversity, Dr. Stoot, Sr. conveyed how that unity is a strength.
“The new presidency reminds us that unity in diversity isn’t just a lofty ideal; it’s the foundation for meaningful progress. On the surface, it means we’re all different—but that’s not a bad thing. In fact, it’s what makes us strong,” said Dr. Stoot, Sr. “If we want justice beyond the dream, we have to address the imbalances.”
Through an example of the developing the harmony in a song, Dr. Stoot, Sr. shared that with its individual notes, harmony is not an effortless task, it takes effort. It takes listening. It takes respect.
He continued that there are opportunities to learn from each other which is not always easy. There are times when it’s uncomfortable.
“But as Dr. King said, ‘We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.’ And if we’re going to make it, we’ve got to row together,” said Dr. Stoot, Sr.
Steering his speech back to the theme of the evening, Justice Beyond the Dream, Dr. Stoot, Sr. said that justice isn’t just a word, it’s a responsibility.
Justice beyond the dream means action, Stoot continued. It means dismantling systems of oppression. It means advocating for equity—not just equality. Equity ensures everyone has what they need to succeed.
“But let’s be real: the privileged class will always stay in their position if we don’t challenge these systems,” said Dr. Stoot, Sr. “The privileged are often born into access—access to resources, opportunities, and even forgiveness for mistakes that others can’t afford to make.”
The free event took place in the college’s Black Box Theater on Wednesday, January, 22, from 12:30 p.m. until 2 p.m.
Leading up to the main event,Dr. Mari Acob-Nash, Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services, introduced the event beginning with a land acknowledgment and the Black National Anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing.
Tiffany Mphepo, Executive Officer of Diversity at Edmonds College’s Student Body, then took the podium to read the Black Labor Acknowledgement before Dr. Amit Singh, Edmonds College President, shared a few words about MLK being influenced by the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, particularly as it relates to nonviolence which he adapted to the Civil Rights movement.
“We remember Martin Luther King not just for his powerful speeches and nonviolent resistance but for his unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and the belief that every individual deserves to live in a world free of hatred and oppression,” said Mphepo. “MLK Jr. Day is more than a celebration, it is a call to action. It is a reminder that the struggle for civil rights, for equality, for human dignity is not just a thing of the past but an ongoing challenge we all must face today.”
Dr. Yvonne Powell, Vice President of Equality and Inclusion at Edmonds College, followed Dr. Singh with some words of her own before the event’s two emcees, Dr. Vernon Hawkins, Dean of Business at Edmonds College, and Eduardo Torres, Associate Director at the Center for Student Engagement and Leadership, took the podium to commence the celebration and introduce Ruby Hayes, who read an original poem called He Marched.
Author: Kienan Briscoe
