Thanking Dr. King
It is the third Monday of the month of January. Today we celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.! We observe his life and his legacy today, but we should also be doing all that we can to keep the reality of his dream alive for the next generation. What is the impact of his legacy on your life?
Three years ago, Dr. King’s birthday was celebrated on his actual birthday on January 15th. On that day, I made the formal announcement to run for Mayor of El Dorado. I thought it befitting a truly historic occasion, being, to my knowledge, the first Black woman to run for the position. Dr. King’s legacy is rooted in his fight for civil rights, the idea that no matter who we are, no matter what we look like, no matter what situation and skin we are born in, we can possess the audacity to be whatever we want to be. I had the audacity to be mayor!
My run for mayor had to be a movement. I declared that a campaign is about one position for one person, so I would not run a campaign. We needed to launch a movement!
The Movement would have to be about the positioning of our city with everyone working together. Age, race, economic background and other things that divide us would have to be the very thing to bring us together. Everyone had something to bring to the table. Every purpose, every gift, every passion within every person had a place in the Movement!
On Tuesday, November 6, 2018 I was elected mayor as the first woman and first person of color to do so in the city of El Dorado! We made history — or HER-Story! It was another realization of Dr. King’s dream!
As exciting as all of that was, as amazing as it continues to be, there is still much work to be done!
The Movement continues and everyone is still needed in this process. I ran for mayor to make a difference and be the difference for the city. Many have felt like they did not have a voice. Many were convinced that their voice did not matter. Many were concerned their voice could be silenced. How clear is a voice that continues to rise in unity with others that are willing to do what it takes to make sure it is heard and that what is spoken is brought to reality? The clarity is necessary to define the mission. Unity is required for the destination of the Movement!
Today I take the opportunity to thank Dr. King for the sacrifice of his life to create a legacy at the cost of so much for him personally. His dream was that his children would experience life in a world where their mind would be the determining factor and not their skin. In his pursuit of this reality, he sacrificed time with his family. Our families have reaped the benefits. Dr. King did not work alone. His mission required the assistance of many. It was a Movement!
What will you make happen in our present time to ensure the direction for the future? What will be your legacy?
We may never have our birthday recognized as a national holiday, and that is okay. We will not have to pay with our very lives the price of the ultimate sacrifice and for that I am grateful! We will have to come together with all our differences, to see the difference, to make a difference and to be the difference. In the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. let us “wake up” and go to work!