Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.

As UMCI reflects on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we would like to express our gratitude for his leadership along with the other activists who advance America. Dr. King fought not only for black liberation and equality but for the world as a whole. An excerpt from his letter titled The Social Organization of Nonviolence states, “Our powerful weapons are the voices, the feet, and the bodies of dedicated, united people, moving without rest toward a just goal.”[1] Dr. King and other civil rights leaders embody this excerpt and we must too. With that being said, to push forward with the goal of justice for all, we have to speak up. We have to use our voice to dismantle hatred, division, white supremacy, etc. We should learn to live amicably with others regardless of gender, race, color, and nationality. Ensuring this living is why this organization decided to practice the below stated four core values.  

1. ​Listen- Stop talking! Hear the voices of the community. 
2. Learn- Unlearn! Encourage the pursuit of expanding the mind through workshops.
3. Change- Uplift! Advocate for justice. 
4. Unify- Come together! Promote a community of togetherness.

With the commitment of citizens, community leaders, local organizations, and city officials, we hope to have an impact on McDuffie County that transcends to other communities. We also would like to express our gratitude to the dedicated bodies that fight for the youth, sick, wrongly convicted, poor, and disenfranchised. 

Reference
[1] King, M. L., Washington, J. M. (1991). A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. Harper Collins.