Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
From Taylor Hickman, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) at the Waldorf School of Philadelphia
In advance of MLK Day, I write to wish everyone a beautiful day, week, month (and year) of impact. Celebrating MLK Day in the Quaker tradition, service and fellowship have been integral parts of honoring Dr. King’s legacy for me. I feel fortunate to live in a city where opportunities for this are ongoing and meaningful. The impact the day has, as a stand-alone annual holiday, is significant; Dr. King’s life’s work and the meaning of the day, however, reach beyond what a single day can capture. Dr. King’s impact on the success of the American civil rights movement and all that has come after, elicits the question: what does it mean to live a life of service? His impact is the reminder that each of us has the capacity for making change through acts of service each and every day: we can live in service to ourselves, to others, and to the world.
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., our entire student community is taking part in a community food security project during the month of January. Students working collectively to support Germantown Community Fridge is one of the infinite ways a community and individuals can address local needs. As our students learn about food security and food insecurity, as well as community justice work, they are making connections to the ideas of cooperation, service learning, ecology, and local and global histories. They can connect to, and further explore, ideas about levels of impact and sustainability. Our students know that they each have a place in making change. It requires creativity, it requires change, and most importantly, it requires connection. I think of the quote from King’s peer and fellow civil rights leader Bayard Rustin:
“If we desire a society in which men are brothers, then we must act towards one another with brotherhood. If we can build such a society, then we would have achieved the ultimate goal of human freedom.”
MLK and Bayard Rustin
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was an individual human, like the rest of us. His work speaks volumes to the power that individuals have, as well as to the impact that can be made when we work collectively. Like his colleagues Bayard Rustin, James Farmer of CORE, and the late John Lewis, Dr. King aspired, and in turn, inspired. As we pause our routine work and school day next Monday to reflect on what King gave the Black community, the United States, and the world, it is also a time to reflect on what has yet to be shared, and what has yet to be done.
Below are some day of service opportunities to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. this coming Monday, January 15th!
Join Beth Am Israel for one of their many King Day opportunities you can do in person and/or at home.
Volunteer with Unitarian Society of Germantown (USG) in partnership with UU of Mt. Airy!
Some projects require pre-registration.
For more information, email mlkday@usguu.org.
Visit the National Constitution Center (free!)
The National Constitution Center honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s lifelong dedication to justice, equality, and service for the greater good with free admission to the museum with special programs and events on January 15th, 2024.
The National Constitution Center
Other events: Check out Visit Philly’s website for more information on citywide MLK Day opportunities and USHistory.org to read about Dr. King’s relationship to the city of Philadelphia. We can't wait to hear how you and your family served!