Today we pay tribute to a legendary human being who fought courageously for human rights in America. Born in Georgia on January the 15th known to the world as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He stood for non violent activism in the civil rights moment. His courage in the face of violent racism changed the world.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a skillful orator who gave many eloquent and inspiring speeches. The following is an excerpt of one of my favorite speeches. In it Dr. King calls on his community to change the way they think of themselves.
In a time when Latinos are persecuted and reputations attacked on a daily basis across all platforms of media his words are so relevant. When media has so many potential paths to access our children's fragile developing minds I find his message of the utmost importance. An industry which Latinos are still kept out of.
In an age where Latinos are kept separate to their own TV channels on Spanish stations owned by American media corporations it has given the segregator a false sense of superiority and it has left the segregated with a false sense of inferiority.
Dr. Kings words are a beautiful message to be considered thoughtfully.
"Believe in yourself. Believe you are somebody. Nobody else can do this for us. We must move into our inner soul and sign our own emancipation proclamation. Be proud of your heritage. We don't have anything to be ashamed of. Somebody told a lie one day and made everything Black ugly and evil … something degrading or sinister. Let's get the language right so everyone here may cry out: 'Yes I'm black and I'm proud and beautiful'.
Thirty two years after Dr. King's passing equality for all people is long overdue. Now is the time to end all discrimination. As did Dr. King, I also have a dream that children will live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin nor the by country of their ancestors origin but by the content of their character.
Change cannot happen until you make it happen. Use your voice to let the world know who Latinos truly are. Latinos are not one country but many. Latinos did not arrive yesterday but have built this country for centuries. No one else can accomplish this. The Latino story must be told by Latinos using Latino words. Use your voice.
