"...I have the personal faith that mankind will somehow rise up to the occasion and give new directions to an age drifting rapidly to its doom. In spite of the tensions and uncertainties of this period something profoundly meaningful is taking place. Old systems of exploitation and oppression are passing away, and out of the womb of a frail world new systems of justice and equality are being born. Doors of opportunity are gradually being opened to those at the bottom of society."
-Martin Luther King, Jr., Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech
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An Invitation to Reclamation and Renewal
At the Well Being In the Nation (WIN) Network, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we invite you to make this a year of reclamation and renewal.
We know that legacies of exclusion have created a nation which is headed along an unsustainable path. We live in a moment when mounting inequality, a pandemic which has torn us apart rather than brought us together, and a continued acceleration of environment deterioration all threaten to destroy our generational health and well-being and our social fabric. A nation divided cannot stand.
At WIN, we believe the answers lie in reclaiming and renewing. We seek to reclaim our history, our narratives and our heroes. We reclaim the wisdom of the diverse cultures which make us America--cultures which hold some of the solutions we need today to chart a path to renewal. Above all, we reclaim and renew our social contract with one another, one based on creating the conditions for everyone to participate, prosper, reach their full potential, and contribute to that of others.
As we reclaim what was lost, we chart a path ahead--we renew. We renew our structure and systems and policies to be ones which create the conditions for everyone to thrive. We make new our investments in one another and in our civic muscle. We build and weave new pathways--with new voices and new solutions from new generations.
In this issue, we reclaim poetry and art and opportunities that point the way. Join us!
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"We are the ones we've been waiting for" - Hopi Elders
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You have been telling people that this is the Eleventh Hour, now you must go back and tell the people that this is the Hour.
And there are things to be considered…
Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know your garden.
It is time to speak your truth.
Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for your leader.
Then he clasped his hands together, smiled, and said,
“This could be a good time!
There is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid.
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They will try to hold on to the shore. They will feel they are being torn apart and will suffer greatly.
Know the river has its destination.
The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water.
And I say, see who is in there with you and celebrate. At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally, least of all ourselves.
For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey come to a halt.
The time of the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves! Banish the word ’struggle’ from your attitude and your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.
We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
--Hopi Elders' Prophecy, June 8, 2000
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Special WIN Partner Events
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Fannie Lou Hamer, a sharecropper, in the 1960s in a Mississippi that led the nation in recorded lynchings, single-handedly changed the Democratic Party from being a haven and incubator for Klansmen and Confederates to being the party of Barack Obama and Kamala Harris. Before Stacey Abrams, there was a short, stocky, gold-toothed woman from Ruleville, Mississippi named Fannie Lou Hamer.
Learn more about this visionary leader this Martin Luther King Jr. Day by joining our partners, Chromatic Black, in a screening of Sunflower: The Fannie Lou Hamer story.
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The federal government is making unprecedented investments in state, territorial, Tribal, and local governments. Never have communities had access to direct, flexible dollars at this scale–and the opportunity to develop local solutions rooted in the voices and needs of residents.
This session will include will feature pragmatic tools and actionable resources from local and national stewards working to build a better future together as well as time to network with others.
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BEYOND THE CLIMATE CRISIS: THE JOURNEY TO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
New Deal for Youth Changemakers believe the climate crisis is fueled by the foundational systems of racism, colonialism, and capitalism. To achieve environmental justice, we must dismantle the systems of power that are preventing all people from thriving.
You can learn more about the New Deal for Youth by watching the webinar above or by clicking below!
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"No empty promises..."
As a reminder of their father's legacy, Martin Luther King Jr.'s children have asked for "no empty promises" while celebrating their father. Instead, they have asked for Martin Luther King Jr. Day to be a day for the nation to renew its commitment to voting rights.
You can learn more about the Martin Luther King III, Arndrea Waters King, and Yolanda Renee King's fight for voting rights below.
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Martin Luther King Jr. by Boris Chaliapin
Boris Chaliapin, also known as Mr. Time, was a portrait artist for Time Magazine. In his 28 year career he created over 400 portraits of prolific figures from the 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s.
This portrait reminds us of the duality of Martin Luther King Jr. The gentle pastor giving a sermon to the right and in the background, while the foreground showcases the daring and controversial (to say the least) activism that led to MLK Jr. becoming one of the most well-regarded civil rights leaders of all time.
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Resources to Create Equity
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Even before the world first heard the term "coronavirus", higher education has been in need of more equitable processes in order to create more equitable outcomes for students. Students at colleges and universities across the United States increasingly face formidable strains on their mental, physical, and social health, often compounded by food, housing, and financial insecurity.
Thriving Campuses: A Campus Guide for Well-Being, Equity and Thriving Together helps stakeholders advance a vision for thriving on their campuses and see their role as stewards across a set of vital campus conditions.
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Black Representation in the Medical Community
Chidiebere Ibe was only a first year medical student when his sketch of a Black fetus went viral. Now, his attempt to create more representation in the medical will be included in medical textbooks.
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