👑⚖️ MLK Day of Service

This year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be celebrated on Jan. 17. First observed in the U.S. in 1986, MLK Day celebrates the civil rights leader by encouraging all of us to do community service. Participation in the MLK Day of Service continues to grow steadily across the country, with hundreds of thousands of Americans each year engaging in projects such as tutoring and mentoring children, assisting the elderly, delivering meals to the needy, building homes for the homeless and reflecting on King’s life and teachings. Nevertheless, as the scope of the event grows every year, many people get caught up in their reflections of King’s work and are still not aware of the service component of the holiday. In King’s 1963 Letter from Birmingham Jail, he wrote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.” As MLK Day approaches, I believe it is important that we all heed this message and find ways to honor King’s legacy and share his commitment to bettering our communities and helping our fellow human beings. Throughout the year, several sports leagues participate in nationwide community service and outreach programs, from the NFL’s Inspire Change initiative to NBA Cares. The holiday is also celebrated with a slate of MLK Day matchups. But you don’t have to be a celebrity or a professional athlete to help someone in need. And even though COVID-19 is quickly spreading throughout the country, there are still opportunities available for those who want to volunteer in person to honor King. AmeriCorps has a searchable database of MLK Day volunteer opportunities. Click on the “Find volunteer opportunities” box, enter your ZIP code and click on the “MLK Day” box to find the projects available in your area. You could also organize a group of friends and family in your city and help clean up a local park or playground. For those who are not ready to volunteer in person, one positive thing that has occurred during the coronavirus pandemic is the rise in remote volunteering. Consider donating to organizations working year-round to support the social justice causes King dedicated his life to, such as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund or the Trayvon Martin Foundation, which provides both emotional and financial support to families who have lost a child to gun violence. And remember, King penned his Letter from Birmingham Jail while he was locked in a cell. You can honor his perseverance and fight for justice by writing encouraging letters to those who are incarcerated. Your letter could be the sliver of hope for someone who is looking to overcome a dark time and change for the better. On Monday, I plan to honor King’s commitment to service by volunteering at my church in Houston, Wheeler Avenue Baptist. Service is about having a caring heart and doing the simple things for others that can make a difference. For us to build a great community, we must do the small things in a great way. — Keion Cage