Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

In January, the MSU School of Social Work Racial and Social Justice Collaborative (RSJC) celebrated the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by seeking to highlight organizations, movements, people, and platforms that promote values found in Dr. King’s work: service, equity for all, economic justice, dismantling white supremacy, and Beloved Community. Quotes from Dr. King’s work were posted daily throughout the week of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on the RSJC’s social media pages. Each day’s quote highlighted a different value and encouraged community members to nominate those they believed deserved recognition for their work in promoting these values. Through this effort, the RSJC aimed to rally support for those who are doing this important work while so many are still feeling stuck at home due to the pandemic.

Service

"I say to you whatever you do in life do it for the good of humanity. Don't do it merely for the prestige that it brings or the money that it brings, but do it for the serving of humanity."

The RSJC kicked off the campaign by highlighting the value of service on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Dr. King encouraged all to take action for their communities and for racial justice. Since neither education nor a specific background are required in serving your community, this proved to be a great value to begin the week with. As Dr. King once said, “Anyone can be great, because anybody can serve.”

Equity for All

"White Americans must recognize that justice for Black people cannot be achieved without radical changes in the structure of our society. The comfortable, entrenched, the privileged cannot continue to tremble at the prospect of change of the status quo… This is a multiracial nation where all groups are dependent on each other… There is no separate white path to power and fulfillment, short of social disaster, that does not share power with Black aspirations for freedom and human dignity."

On Tuesday of the campaign week, the RSJC chose to highlight the value of equity for all, a notion that Dr. King stood by in its entirety. Equity is different from equality in that it does not necessarily promote sameness for all, but rather whatever is needed to allow a human to live their life with dignity and autonomy. This means that the distribution of resources may not always look the same for all people, but rather they are gauged to assess the needs for all and fulfill those, whatever that may look like.

Economic Justice

"Again we have deluded ourselves into believing the myth that Capitalism grew and prospered out of the protestant ethic of hard work and sacrifice. The fact is that Capitalism was built on the exploitation and suffering of Black slaves and continues to thrive on the exploitation of the poor—both Black and white, both here and abroad."

Wednesday was dedicated to highlighting economic justice, a value that Dr. King fought for vehemently throughout his life. Economic justice seeks to ensure that every person has enough to live a fulfilling life, and that the fruits of labor be distributed fairly. Dr. King understood that the struggle for racial justice and economic justice were deeply intertwined and increasingly advocated for radical changes to be made to our economic system.

Dismantling White Supremacy

"The price that America must pay for the continued oppression of the Negro is the price of its own destruction. The hour is late; the clock of destiny is ticking out. We must act now! It is a trite yet urgently true observation that if America is to remain a first-class nation, it cannot have second-class citizens."

On Thursday the RSJC highlighted the value of dismantling white supremacy, which was central to the work of Dr. King. He believed the United States was paying a large price for the continued acceptance and enforcement of the oppression of Blacks and the inhumane treatment they received. He believed if it continued the country would never experience peace. An advocate for nonviolence protests and boycotts, he lacked patience for those who were more dedicated to order than justice and called for urgent action by all people.

Beloved Community

"... the end is reconciliation ... redemption ... the creation of the Beloved Community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opponents into friends. It is this type of understanding goodwill that will transform the deep gloom of the old age into the exuberant gladness of the new age. It is this love that will bring about miracles in the hearts of men."

The week closed with Friday's highlight on the value of the Beloved Community, which depicts Dr. King's vision of a world governed by love, justice, and peace. Inspired by his Christian faith and Mahatma Gandhi's teachings, Dr. King advocated for peaceful nonviolence. He believed this was the way to rid the world of the Triple Evils of poverty, racism, and militarism, and to achieve the state of the Beloved Community.

Nominees

The RSJC received nominations in all five highlighted categories. For exemplifying the value of service, Women's Center of Greater Lansing (WCGL) and Child and Family Charities – Angel House were nominated. WCGL provides services and resources to greater Lansing area women, fostering their growth and aiding them in realizing their individual potential. Angel House is a residential home for teenage mothers in foster care, providing them with care and therapeutic services.

The Equity Matters Podcast was nominated for representing the value of equity for all. James Bell III created the podcast as a space to amplify the voices of those doing the work of eliminating disparities.

The Economic Justice Alliance of Michigan was nominated for upholding the value of economic justice by advancing social and racial equity and improving economic conditions for the people of Michigan.

Dahlia Ferlito was nominated for depicting the value of dismantling white supremacy. Dahlia is an anti-racist organizer who co-founded White People 4 Black Lives, which vows to challenge cultural and institutional racism.

The COVID-19 Faith Subcommittee was nominated for embodying the value of Beloved Community through its support and care for the community in multiple ways.

Conclusion

This year's Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration brought challenges and opportunities. Throughout an ever-present pandemic, we have faced many of the same challenges for which Dr. King fought and died. When it comes to equity, diversity, and inclusion, time has elapsed, but minds have staggered behind in the United States and elsewhere. The pandemic has uncovered deep disparities in service, racial equity, and economic justice, as well as a more visible white supremacist movement. Nonetheless, the values that Dr. King set forth bring opportunities to keep getting closer to something like the idea of Beloved Community. The organizations nominated and featured in this year's EDIC/RSJC Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration's social media campaign inspire hope and give a heartbeat to Dr. King's vision of a more just world through love and peace. We are proud to feature their work and invite everyone to review their missions and consider acting by getting involved in one or all the featured organizations.

Students & Faculty