In the Footsteps of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King

Happy MLK DAY!

Let us remember Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by not only what we do on his holiday, but by the way we choose to live and fight for justice every day - especially in these challenging times. He studied change makers who came before him like Christ and Mahatma Gandhi. He lead with LOVE and used SCHOLARSHIP to educate himself about the systems that maintained oppression in order to grasp what would be needed to tear them down. He studied his enemies to more fully comprehend their mentality, and understood the power of MUSIC, LAUGHTER, JOY and COMMUNITY in the cause. And he knew that America would not change for the better without TRUTH-telling and an unwavering FAITH in GOD.

Dr. King was human, not perfect, but in the face of vicious attacks, enormous frustrations and threats to his life and the lives of those he loved he carried himself with GRACE, CLASS, and DIGNITY. We don't talk about it enough, but each of these elements were as much a part of the power of his life's work as every march he lead, jail detention he suffered, and speech he gave. Each of these were crucial for sustainable success in fighting for the rights of Black people, poor people, and all people. This was true in the 1960s, and it is true today.

If we are serious about our commitment to honoring Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy I encourage us to walk fully in his footsteps by taking on more than the physical labor of his work. We must embrace the engine that propelled that work: love, truth, faith, dignity, joy, creativity and scholarship as powerful weapons for positive change 2026 and beyond.