Every year on this day, a great many people and organizations quote Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. But we mustn't just quote, we must also do. As you quote today, what action are you deciding to take tomorrow, and the next day, and the next...and so on?
MLK didn't just write, speak, and preach, he took action. He served in and with community and he peacefully protested for the good of humanity and equal rights.
He took action because King believed in interconnectedness across our nation, that we should be willing to help each other because we are all a part of a bigger country, and that communities should be welcoming to all people. As MLK stated in his 'Letter from Birmingham Jail,' he was "cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by...and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly."
In 1967 he spoke of moving past indecision to action. That same year in his last book, 'Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?' MLK stated "One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change. Every society has its protectors of the status quo and its fraternities of the indifferent who are notorious for sleeping through revolutions. But today our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change. The large house in which we live demands that we transform this worldwide neighborhood into a worldwide brotherhood."
As you honor this day in history, how will you take action to face the challenge of change, maintain our interconnectedness, and live with each other in peace?
Martin Luther King Jr. fought his entire life to ensure the inclusion of all people because he understood that we were intertwined and connected in humanity. He spoke and wrote that equity should prevail, diversity should be honored, and inclusion and belonging were the threads that bound us together. He understood that change wouldn't come overnight, and he knew that there would be setbacks and false starts along the way while also saying that "we can walk and never get weary..."
Sometimes it can be difficult to give up time in service of others and to give something to a cause that's greater than ourselves. May the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. continue to inspire us to fight for justice, respect each other through love, and enact change through infinite hope.
#WherePeopleMatter #BuildingBelonging #MLKDay
