When I was growing up, somewhere between the ages of six and eight, I discovered Martin Luther King and he changed my life. Although it was the early eighties and Dr King had been dead for over fifteen years, he was as relevant then as he is now.
I read Martin Luther King like others would read the Word. God spoke to me through him. When my own father died at the age of nine, MLK’s wisdom and morality would prove invaluable in helping me navigate the undulations of life. He enabled me to affirm my identity and my relationship with God and was an important male guide. With the passage of time, as the memory of my father’s physical image began to fade, I’d imagine Dr King as my dad whenever I had a problem - talking to me, advising me, nurturing me. King instilled in me a sense of purpose and social justice at a time when I was starting to form my perspective on the world.
Recently, I’ve rediscovered my inner activist. I’ve been reading the brilliant Not On My Watch by Don Cheadle and John Prendergast on the genocide in Darfur. The book is a call to action imploring each one of us to do whatever we can to highlight and agitate for an end to injustice. People in Sudan, the Congo and Haiti, among others, need our help today and there’s no excuse why we shouldn’t give it.
If Dr King were alive today, he’d be advocating for our brothers and sisters at home and abroad. In my own small way, I will too. In hindsight, for me, it all began with Martin Luther King and, for that, I’ll be eternally grateful. In me, and many others, the spirit of Dr King lives on."
I read Martin Luther King like others would read the Word. God spoke to me through him. When my own father died at the age of nine, MLK’s wisdom and morality would prove invaluable in helping me navigate the undulations of life. He enabled me to affirm my identity and my relationship with God and was an important male guide. With the passage of time, as the memory of my father’s physical image began to fade, I’d imagine Dr King as my dad whenever I had a problem - talking to me, advising me, nurturing me. King instilled in me a sense of purpose and social justice at a time when I was starting to form my perspective on the world.
Recently, I’ve rediscovered my inner activist. I’ve been reading the brilliant Not On My Watch by Don Cheadle and John Prendergast on the genocide in Darfur. The book is a call to action imploring each one of us to do whatever we can to highlight and agitate for an end to injustice. People in Sudan, the Congo and Haiti, among others, need our help today and there’s no excuse why we shouldn’t give it.
If Dr King were alive today, he’d be advocating for our brothers and sisters at home and abroad. In my own small way, I will too. In hindsight, for me, it all began with Martin Luther King and, for that, I’ll be eternally grateful. In me, and many others, the spirit of Dr King lives on."
From Clutch magazine, 18 January, 2010
