The late Allen Willis was an active DISC member and leader, and through his employment at Florida Atlantic University, he made a point of connecting with black student organizations and introducing them to DISC. Over the years, FAU students have volunteered at the Martin Luther King celebration, assisted with surveys of the Pearl City, Dixie Manor and Lincoln Court residents, and participated in the monthly Dialogue Group meetings. It was at one of the dialogue meetings in 2014, in fact, when FAU students brought up the fact that Pearl City was approaching her 100th birthday the following year. Their perceptiveness set in motion the plans for the Pearl City Centennial celebration in June, 2015.
Currently, FAU Professor Charles Graves, assisted by students in his urban planning classes, has undertaken a multifaceted approach to preserve the history and provide a roadmap for the sustainable economic development of the Pearl City and Lincoln Court neighborhoods. In cooperation with DISC and through public, private and non-profit agencies and sources, Dr. Graves is helping residents clarify a vision of a robust community now and in the future.