April 4th, 2018 marked the 50th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King. There are so many people who never had the chance to see him in person. They never got a chance to hear one of his electric speeches or march alongside him as he fought for civil rights. There are many who don’t grasp the impact he had and the legacy he left on American history.
For me, Dr. King was the greatest teacher I never had. He taught me persistence, peaceful protest, and how to motivate people to enact change.
When I think of the legacy of Dr. King, I think about man who had a dream. A dream where children of all races and backgrounds could come together as one. A dream where black boys didn’t have to fear pursuing education for fear of fatal consequences.
To me, Dr. King’s dream is slowly becoming a reality. In 2008, we had the first African American President (Barack Obama) to be the leader of the free world. As I walk around campus, I see interracial couples happily and intimately sharing special moments together.
In 2018, we live in a country where kids of color can join together marching to bring awareness to gun violence and police brutality.
Dr. King’s legacy will always have a special place in my heart. Growing up as a young black kid in America, I have experienced my share of discrimination because of the color of my skin.
I have been denied opportunities that I was well qualified for because I didn’t look a certain way or talk with a particular vocabulary.This caused for major self-hate and I exiled myself from interacting with other non-colored kids.
Even though discrimination can be a painful pill to swallow, it still shouldn’t affect what you want to accomplish in life. Dr. King legacy taught me that no matter what people label you as, what people do to you, and how people perceive you, you can influence what is in other people’s hearts.
The best way to combat hate is to show love toward those who spew evil. This is why Dr. King is so popular, because of his message of nonviolent action and persistence to fight for people.
Every day when I wake up, I am reminded not to focus on the color of my skin or the circumstances of my environment, but to work passionately towards a goal to inspire others to follow.
This is what Dr. King’s legacy means to me. I hope that one day we will live in a world where people can chase their passion and dreams without being hindered, discriminated, or even denied certain human right because of the color of their skin
