I've heard over and over how I should spend the Dr. Martin Luther King holiday - in service to others. Please don't get me wrong about service to others - of course it is a worthy way to spend time but I question it in the name of Dr. King. If you saw my earlier post, you know I've been thinking a lot about his May 1967 speech in which he calls out three evils - racism, poverty, and war. While service may be seen as a way to combat poverty, something he was most passionate about in his later years, I question the overarching message we send with our service. Too often I've seen white people give their "service" to poor black people. What is the message that we are giving and what is it we are receiving? It feels like we have more and that we give to those that have less. We give to those that are lesser. We give without a notion of standing side by side to form equal bonds or of dismantling the systems that have created this state. Service is all of giving and is really about the giver. The giver feels good for having given. I volunteered at a food pantry last month. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed what I gave and it made me feel good. Now don't get me wrong, we need volunteers to help run things like food pantries but how are we also looking at how to dismantle the systems that have created the necessity of food pantries - these were the systems that MLK sought to dismantle.
Confronting racism is not a feel good activity. It's uncomfortable. It causes anxiety, depression, anger in yourself and in others. I've been asked over and over and over "what can I do?" "Where can I volunteer to make a difference?" My answer is always the same - educate yourself, spend time on yourself learning and listening. How did I spend my MLK day? I watched two documentaries: MLK & the FBI and Blood On The Doorstep (which I can't believe I haven't watched until today!) and three black films: Bamboozled, One Night in Miami, and American Skin. Each one of those films was powerful and continues to add to my growth as a racial justice advocate, as a human. (oh, and I wrote two blog posts!)
Dr. King served but he served to dismantle the systems of racism and oppression, systems that still exist today. How can you serve to dismantle racism today? How will you truly honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy today and in the year ahead? This is truly honoring Dr. King.
Kommentare