You Deserve This Day, M.L.K

Einstein said that, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Chief Visionary Officer, Robin Sharma said it best when she said; “Authentic leaders dare to dream impossible dreams.” Martin Luther King Jr. was indeed an authentic leader. His dream was far more detailed, elaborated and beyond any thoughts that ran through a colored person’s mind at the time. For that and many more reasons, not only is there a holiday in honor of Dr. King but why many are honoring Dr. King in early January.


The MLK Week for Peace is a collaborative celebration among the four major private universities in New Orleans. People gather to reflect on the life and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and to take in and appreciate his love of collective work and social justice. The theme this year is “Unity and Diversity: Universities for the Dream.”


Of course, the celebration is being held in many other states in honor of  Dr. King.
Having just learned about this celebration it really is an eye-opener. Sure I’ve known about Dr. Martin Luther King Day but I never looked into how others around the world are celebrating. I guess I have always been hearing but not listening. I mean, sure I have so much to thank Dr. King for and a huge part of it is for how life today is; how I can walk with people of different nationalities and not have to make a secret of it. How I can be what I want and say what I want to say, knowing I have a voice and it having nothing to do with the color of my skin. Dr. King made it possible for colored people to be counted for and paved a way for us to be individualized human beings with a mind of our own, mouth to voice our thoughts and the strength to stand for what we believe in.


"We have flown the air like birds and swum the sea like fishes, but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth like brothers.” Quotes like this from Dr. King is just what makes him memorable and celebrated. He saw the big picture while others didn’t bother looking through the lens. Dr. King’s vision was for peace, unity, equality and justice.


This Week of Peace is for those who realize how much they owe to Dr. King. It’s for those who are grateful to him for bringing nonviolence acts and words of wisdom to society’s attention, for those witnessed us at our lowest as a nation along with Dr. King who now can witness us as equals. Young or old, this celebration is to honor him for uniting us and giving us more than what others (whites) thought we deserved.


Freedom doesn’t have a price and segregation has no place here. If it weren’t for Dr. King and his struggles he overcame, we may still be wondering when change would come.


"There is no gain without struggle." –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.