Every man of humane convictions must decide on the protest that best suits his convictions, but we must all protest. -MLK
A mural depicting the life and times of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reminds all of the protests for justice during the Civil Rights Movement. It adorns a building outside The King Center in Atlanta, GA.
Protests. This word carried much weight in the latter part of 2015, evoking emotional responses and heated debates between friends, loved ones, acquaintances and social media frequenters. Social justice advocates declared that we were in a revolution. The skeptical questioned if these gatherings were necessary and actually impactful. The optimists argued that mere social awareness was a success. The unbothered pretended no one was talking.
No matter where it stood on the issues, the majority of the world heard the outcries.
The “movement” hasn’t lost it’s edge with the faded fireworks of the New Year. Just last week, world leaders and citizens gathered in Paris as a symbol of unity after the act of terrorism in the country. The phrase #blacklivesmatter is still trending in the twitterverse, growing stronger as more watch the historical depiction of the Civil Rights Movement through the recent motion picture Selma.
With all this in mind, I draw inspiration from this quote from the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On this Martin Luther King Day, I can recall the work the great leader did and reflect on his legacy. The biggest thing I take from his life is that we all have the ability to make an impact on the world. Furthermore, we have the right to do it in the way that we want to do it.
Your passions may differ from the masses, and that’s okay. However, it is not okay to ignore your passions by pretending they do not exist. Take a stand now for what you believe in. Make your own legacy.
Fearless Expressioner 