SAN DIEGO — San Diego State University's Black Resource Center was officially renamed to the Gus and Emma Thompson Black Resource Center Monday.
Brother Ron and Lloyd Dong, along with their spouses, donated $5 million to SDSU's Black Resource Center in honor of Gus and Emma Thompson.
"They saved our family and so we had an opportunity to pay back," Ron Dong said.
Gus and Emma were a black couple born into slavery who settled down in Coronado. They took a chance on the Dong family, renting and eventually selling them the house where the Dong brothers grew up.
"They were the ones who would rent to Chinese in the 30’s when no one else would, and that enabled the family to, as he said, thrive in Coronado," Janice Dong said.
The Dongs are donating the proceeds from the sale of the property, and the resource center has big plans for how to spend it.
"We have some academic retention programs and we hire our peer mentors, which are upperclassmen, so that will help with our retention efforts," Tonika Green, Associate Vice President for Identity, Inclusion and Belonging said.
The $5 million will also go to upgrading the center and mental health and support programming. Members of the Black Resource Center will also benefit from the story behind the donation.
"The students understand what paying it forward means, what paying it back means, but they also understand what it means to be part of a community," Green said. "Doesn’t matter what race you are or where you come from, it’s just about community."
The Gus and Emma Thompson Black Resource Center and the generous donation will make a difference for many SDSU students.
"This is like our little HBCU so it's a place of community where all of us can get together in a safe space, very supportive space as well, it's a place that I call home, in all honesty," SDSU student Kiara Henry said.
WATCH: Chinese-American family pays it forward with $5 million donation to SDSU