MLK Day of Service-A Reflection

 
It is very difficult to recount the depth and impact of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in one short blog post.  Dr. King Jr.’s life and message influences society in countless ways.  Hosting a Day of Service in his honor is one small way we can say thank-you.   

 
For our MLK Day of Service we volunteered at Davidson Middle School in San Rafael, supported the MLK Marin City Coalition, and had a civic dialogue about the documentary “Taking Root”.  We thought that there was no better way to summarize this powerful Day of Service than by devoting a small blog "series" to MLK Day and by addressing our work from Dr. King Jr.’s perspective.

We hope you will take a moment to read our reflections on our MLK Day of Service and share your own comments and perspectives:  MLK Day of Service Blog Series

Why MLK Day should be a Day ON not a Day OFF

The days following the Holiday Season are filled with returning unwanted gifts, going back to school or work, resolving to sweat away extra pounds, and the other mundane, everyday tasks that we commit our time to.  Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the light at the end of this very hectic post-New Year.  It is the one Monday that you can sleep-in in the midst of hustle and bustle, so it seems fair to embrace this national holiday as a time of rest and recuperation.  However, let us imagine that you are eating Sunday breakfast on January 16, 2011 (for imagery sake,  you are eating waffles with scrambled eggs on the side) and you look up from your morning paper to see Dr. King Jr. sitting across from you.  Without any introduction or hesitation, he asks you the same question he posed to his listeners during the March on Washington, 1863-"What are you doing for others?"

MLK Day of Service is a day that allows us to transform's Dr. King's teachings into community actions that help solve social problems.  King believed in freedom and justice for all, and constantly encouraged all Americans to apply the principles of nonviolence to make our country and this world a better place to live.  I believe that there is no better, non-violent way, to work towards social change than by serving others.  Volunteering with and in our own communities helps to bridge barriers, empower individuals, and create solutions.

Consider making this MLK holiday a Day ON, and help us make a difference in our Marin community.