San Diego City College’s annual  Veterans Day event kicked off with a presentation of colors from the San Diego High School Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (SDHS AJROTC) Color Guard.

Sophia Perez then sang the national anthem to those present. An employee of the Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Connections Center. As a last-minute pick, Perez only had a few days to prepare, but was still very appreciative to be invited.

Can’t see the video? Click here. Transcript is available on YouTube.

After Perez’s rendition, Jennifer Rasmussen recited the Pledge of Allegiance before Ricky Shabazz welcomed and introduced the first guest speaker, Yonatan “Yogi” Hernandez.

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Hernandez spoke on how the veterans center and community at City College enabled him to succeed in his academic journey.

The next speaker, Maurice Wilson, spoke on how he would not have survived without the option of joining the Navy. He found a goal in becoming a naval master chief, as it was a first for him to see a fellow African American in a position of authority.

Dora Meza ended things off by thanking everyone for attending. Encouraging them to eat the free food provided (In-N-Out). 

“My favorite part is to bring veterans together, just so they see how valued they are on this campus,” Meza said. “They make a huge difference, and they bring a wealth of contributions to the students who have never had an opportunity to travel or experience life the way they have.”

Attendees of the Veterans Day event line up to receive free In-N-Out, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. Photo by Connor Jewett/City Times Media

Andrea Moreno, a member of the AJROTC, had this to say when asked about what she valued about the Army.

“The community, where everybody can just depend on everybody, if they need help, they can always ask,” Moreno said. 

The Army gave Gil Reyes a chance to experience new things. 

“Traveling from a kid from nowhere in like middle California, I got to go all over the world, in Korea, the Middle East, a bunch of places I never thought I’d be in my life,” Reyes said. 

When asked what she would say to veterans who feel nervous about going to the veteran center or using the services, Meza replied.

“I would say it’s okay if you feel nervous, if you’re not sure how to get started, we have a team of dedicated individuals whose sole purpose is to support them. So come down to the center or the VA office.”

This story was edited by Tresean Osgood and Gabriel Vasquez