On Jan. 15, 2024, the Bridge Center’s service projects planned for MLK day were canceled. Kelsey Joseph, the vice director of the Bridge Center said, “We were very excited to pilot a day of service, but sadly due to weather we had to cancel. We plan to bring this service opportunity to campus again next year!”
Twenty-five students signed up that day and volunteered their time to help the community, or they may have used this opportunity to get out of classes. They signed up to help at one four locations: MOC-FV school district, Genesis House, Northwestern College Maintenance and Hope Haven Wheelchair Ministry.
MLK led the way for people to fight systemic injustice. To celebrate his life and accomplishments there is a national holiday in this country on Jan. 15, MLK’s birthday. At NW many students and faculty members were intending to celebrate this day in honor of MLK by helping others in need.
MLK showed the people that peaceful protests were the way to fight, not rioting and civil war. He once famously said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” He succeeded and created something that was so much bigger than himself.
In 1964, the Civil Rights Act was passed and in the eyes of the law, black people got equal rights. This act prohibited any kind of discrimination for hiring, promoting and firing. Other acts including the Fair Housing Act in 1968 also banned housing discrimination and ended forced Segregation.
This has led to many other peaceful protests following his example. It has also led to the modern identity of the U.S. Many nations have people who look a certain way, and in the U.S., there is not one homogenous ethnic group. It does not matter if someone is Black, White, Asian, Hispanic or Latino. They are American regardless of how they look. Individual biases still exist, but legally speaking, MLK achieved his dream.
Despite being taught in schools, many Americans underestimate the influence that man has had internationally as well. Nelson Mandela, the man who eventually brought apartheid to its knees, was well-known to quote MLK and some of his speeches. MLK’s message touched the heart of the world and called us to fight against injustice in any small way we can. Though we missed the opportunity to serve our community on MLK day, we should still strive to act out his message any chance we get.
