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A Song to Remember
I was sitting in the modest congregation at Unity Santa Fe as the choir director, Catherine, began a powerful rendition of We Shall Overcome, a tribute to the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the day before the…
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A Black and White World
I was inspired to write this poem, “A Black and White World” after a recent visit to the National Civil Rights Museum. As I walked through the museum, I felt grateful for everything that the elders (like Dr. King) did…
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A Grandkid of the Movement – Intergenerational Activism
My grandmother Marianne O’Connor worked with Civil Rights leaders Clara Luper in Oklahoma City to help start the lunch counter movement there. Her daughter, my aunt Lora, has brought me to many civil rights and social…
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My Story
I was a 14 year old when Dr. King was murdered and I recall attending the ceremony at Crump stadium in which Rev. Hooks’ and Rev. Lawson’s eulogies left me and my father in tears.
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Week 30: Decent Housing- Redlining Your Community
The issue of decent housing is more than the quality of the physical dwelling people live in, but also the surrounding community. In modern America, we are impacted by a legacy of housing policies that affect…
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Week 29: Justice – Ban the Box: 2nd Chance Too Many?
The United States has roughly 70 million Americans who have been convicted of a misdemeanor or a felony. Of course with each conviction, all crimes are different, however regardless of how non-threatening the crime is…
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Week 28: Poverty – A Tribute to the 1968 Sanitation Workers
In 1968, Dr. King came to Memphis, to help with the Sanitation Workers Strike. The Memphis garbage collectors were underpaid, overworked, and didn’t have proper uniforms or working equipment.
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Week 27: Peace: Nonviolence as a Way of Life
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek but a means by which we arrive at that goal.” King’s philosophy reveals that we achieve the goal of peace through nonviolence.
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Week 26: Better Jobs – Resumes & Interviews Matter
At some point in their lives, most people will be in the position of seeking employment. Whether a high school or college graduate looking for part-time employment or internship, or an experienced worker embarking on a…
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Week 25: Justice Dinner
Mass incarceration is a major civil rights issue. A primary reason for the surge in the American prison population is the federal law mandating minimum sentencing.
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Week 24: Affordable Housing: New Challenges, Old Policies
According to the Urban Institute, “Many households struggle to afford a decent, safe place to live. Since 2000, rent has risen as the number of renters needing affordable housing has increased.
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Week 23: Quality Education: Teacher Preparedness
Think about it. There has been at least one teacher who greatly impacted your life, right? Most of us can recall our favorite teachers because of the way they positively motivated, encouraged and pushed us to reach our…