How We Celebrated Martin Luther King Day 2012
For the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of service, Points of Light Institute and its affiliates mobilized over 250,000 volunteers to serve in their communities.
In the following video, our amazing community leaders, , and Points of Light CEO Michelle Nunn, reflect on their days of service and their commitment to living out Dr. King’s legacy of social justice for all.
The next video features Vice President Joe Biden speaking at Gerard College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for this year Dr. King Day of service. Biden begins his speech by noting that sometimes we lose focus and, and begin to question social justice. Next, he asks the audience where we have come since Dr. King’s movement for change. And how much more is in our power to continue to change society? Every person, regardless of race, age, gender, etc has the power to continue change in our society.
Biden recalls being a Congressman when the vote to make Dr. Martin Luther King (MLK) Day a national holiday was occurring. When fellow Congressmen were opposed to making MLK a national holiday, they were unaware of the impact. They were unaware that people throughout the country would be so motivated to take action and live out Dr. King’s legacy.
Biden reassured the audience that this day is not just “a small thing”. The biggest thing you can do for another human being is to show that you understand what they are going through and to engage in at least one act of kindness. On MLK Day, we gave meaning to King’s legacy, even if, for some people, it was only for a day.
Biden expressed that right now he is more optimistic about the potential of this country and our ability to lead the world than he has ever been because he’s old enough to remember what it used to be. To Biden, Dr. King was the epitome of optimism. Dr. King truly believed in social change and progression.
During the Civil Rights Movement, Biden quit his job with a top-paying law firm to become a public defender in East Delaware. Shortly after Dr. King’s assassination, Biden recalls the fires that erupted in the African American neighborhoods of East Delaware. Ironically as Dr. King had dreamed, in 2008, President Obama drove through East Delaware to pick up Vice-President Biden to become sworn in as the first African American President of the United States.
We hope that you were inspired to make changes in your community. Share with us any inspirational stories that you may have in the COMMENTS section.
