A Remembrance & Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Welcome to the spring semester of 2023. As we begin this semester, I want to acknowledge the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The world comes together once a year to have a day of remembrance. Many choose to make it a day of service, calling it a day on vs. a day off. However you choose to spend MLK Day, I hope you set aside time to reflect on his life, the man and his legacy.
Dr. King was a visionary leader, and many theologians, philosophers, researchers and historians have studied his life’s work, sermons, community engagement, leadership and activism. Some because they are curious about the man, others because they desire to follow in his footsteps and others want to understand how one person could pull together communities of different faiths, beliefs, cultures and geographical locations, all in the pursuit of one cause, Freedom and Equality!
Some say Dr. King peaked before his time or before the world was ready to receive his message. I say he was right on time and served at the right time. The reason we can celebrate the man, but more importantly the impact he left in the world, is because he shared his gifts with the world at a time when the world needed leadership and needed to be challenged to do and be better.
As we take a moment to think about the short life lived and the mighty impact that is still felt today, we should each be inspired and motivated to use our lives, our voices, our resources and our influence to help make this community and the world better for ourselves and future generations. We have numerous examples and should know that one person can make a difference. Working together collectively can change the outcomes for the disadvantaged, the disenfranchised and the disheartened. We are at a crossroads in our city, region, state and world. If we don’t learn how to live united, we will surely perish from being divided.
In Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 Strength to Love sermon, He stated, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
Today as we continue to honor the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I want to leave each of us with a challenge.
· I challenge you to listen more and speak less
· I challenge you to put love into action, not just utter words
· Love is not what you say, it is what you do
· I challenge you to spend time with those who are different than you
· I challenge you to spend time with individuals who think differently than you
· I challenge you to lean in verse pulling back when you feel uncomfortable with someone
· I challenge you to be a better version of yourself tomorrow than you are today
· I challenge you to give more and take less
· I challenge you to care
Dr. King devoted his life to lifting up the different, the voiceless and the disadvantaged. He worked to see the good in others even while others plotted his demise. Dr. King accepted the challenges of his day and still chose kindness, love and peace.
Dr. King’s work continues today! He understood the challenge, and he accepted it daily. His life was about impacting change in the community and across the world. He believed that America could overcome its sin and be a home for all. Each of us has the ability and capacity to promote and bring about change. I believe we can overcome fear, hate, anger, disagreements, disbelief and discontentment!
Let’s be willing to struggle together to bring about the change our community, state and country needs!
Warmly,
Belinda Higgs Hyppolite, Ed.D.
Vice President | Chief Diversity Officer
