WS Chronicle

Every year we gather together to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Many of us proudly eat a fine breakfast with The Chronicle, we enjoy Noon Day service with Mutter Evans, we attend services with the Ministers’ Conference and we even gather with area college students on a university campus to hear a dynamic word from the politically astute. This year however, it felt just a little bit different.

This past Monday was not simply a ritualistic holiday for Martin Luther King Jr. For the first time in years the true essence of Dr. King was in the city of Winston-Salem. We were both ignited and united by a cause that seemed greater than any one individual. The resounding message was clear. We should fight voter ID laws and other forms of regressive political policies and we cannot be satisfied with the current state of affairs in America. The people seemed to speak with one voice: that the symbols of oppression such as the Confederate monument in downtown Winston-Salem must be removed.

We learned that when good people come together we can change the course of history. When we help others, show love to our neighbors, and walk humbly to do what God has designed for us to do, our communities will change for the better.  People of all races and creeds gathered in the true spirit of sisterly and brotherly love. History teaches us that every major civil rights movement in this country was lead by young people. We even ceremonially recognized the dreams of our young people, and vowed to partner those dreams with the wisdom and strength of our elders in order to progressively move this city forward.

We will continue and we will win the fight in Winston-Salem to address issues such as homelessness, poverty, and gentrification. We are determined and equally resilient.  Dr. King stated, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?”

In the spirit of progress, we must sacrifice more of our time and our talents to make a difference in the lives of others; our future depends on it. This most recent celebration of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday was not just another day, it felt as if it were the beginning of a movement.