Dear Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
Would you believe it, you have your own day. Only three people (George Washington and Christopher Columbus) have a federally recognized holiday in the United States of America and you are one of them. I envision you are watching over us and seeing the value of your hard work. You gave your life so people of all races, no matter if they are brown, yellow, white and black could have a chance to pursue happiness. Mr. King, you greatly impacted the world with your passionate words and nonviolent movements.
Mr. King it is my understanding that your last speech “I’ve been to the mountaintop” that you delivered on April 3, 1968 was to rectify intolerable working conditions for Memphis sanitation employees. It seemed fitting that on your holiday, I volunteered to work with the Alphas at Old Dominion University to clean up our community. It was cold out there and picking up trash is not a glamorous job, but I just kept thinking about how you sacrificed your life to give us a chance. Mr. King you would have been so proud, not just from the fact that without you, I probably wouldn’t of graduated from college; not just from the fact that I can apply for the same job as any other person in this country, but because there were brothers and sisters of different nationalities picking up trash together for hours in the middle of winter.
It must be “poetic justice” that the day after your holiday, the first African-American is being inaugurated as the President of the United States of America. President Barack Obama embodies your vision of equality and commitment to improving the country. Mr. King it is my greatest pleasure to follow in your footsteps with honor and courage empowering people to see their dreams come true. Anytime I feel down and out, I refer back to your powerful words from your last speech, “I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people we will get to the promise land.”
Mr. King I will never make light of your efforts. Each day, I recommit myself to effectively helping people in the community. Mr. King I wrote you because like you, I believe everyone can be great. I hope I am able to inspire people to be a success no matter their race, sex or creed. I recognize there will always be trying times, but I know we can overcome all obstacles if we work together as a team. Being able to refer to positive influences like you, President Barack Obama (that feels so motivating to be able to write that into history) and many other community active people that may not get nationally recognized helps us stay focused more than you may ever know. Mr. King, today we celebrate your life for making the world a better place to live in for my generation and generations to come. Thanks again for all your hard work and giving the ultimate sacrifice, your life.
With Much Love
