Monday, January 21,2019 is
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Day
,when we honor the life of the late civil rights lea
d
er who demonstrated the power of a dream and inspired the hope for a better tomorrow.
As we celebrate this national holiday, we are called to continue working together to fully realize Dr. King’s vision of freedom and equality in the twenty-first century. As we reflect on his legacy, I urge you to consider the following quote: “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.”
Dr. King’s leadership, and his
early
death in 1968, came
in
a time of great social change that affected the entire nation. . Our challenge is to explore ways to move forward on the path of equity while valuing the strength that comes from the diversity of our community.
While we have made great strides in the 50 years since Dr. King's assassination, there is still much work to be done. We must remind ourselves that although the holiday is just one day, Dr. King’s example of sacrifice and steadfast courage in the face of adversity should be an essential touchstone for each of us on a daily basis. His legacy calls us to action anytime, anywhere, and anyplace we see inequality in people’s lives, regardless of who they are or how they identify themselves. He taught us that it is not enough to speak out against injustice, but it also requires that we actually do something that ends it.
As we begin to celebrate, we hope you have a meaningful observance of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose tireless fight for justice and equality lives on in our own pursuits for a brighter future.
.
