Jessy Mbagara Mwarage’s Post

#MLKDay Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2024 And so today, we are struggling for something which says we demand genuine equality. It’s not merely a struggle against extremist behavior toward Negros. And I’m convinced that many of the very people who supported us in the struggle in the South are not willing to go all the way now. I came to see this in a very difficult and painful way in Chicago, over the last year, where I’ve lived and worked. Some of the people who came quickly to march with us in Selma and Birmingham weren’t active around Chicago. And I came to see that so many people who supported morally and even financially what we were doing in Birmingham and Selma were really outraged against the extremist behavior of Bull Connor and Jim Clark toward Negros, rather than believing in genuine equality for Negros. And I think this is what we’ve got to see now, and this is what makes the struggle much more difficult. The Other America Speech, April 14, 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. https://lnkd.in/dXPMQVmq  #EngraciaFigueroa #disabilitvisibility #civilrights #euity #diversity #inclusion #DEI #sustainability #SDG #IDAM #NDEAM #ADA #deafblind #blind #autism #mobility #mentalheal #justice #disabilityjustice #chronicillness #chronicpain #developmentaldisabilities #cripthevote #deafblindinclusion #ChartingtheWayForward

“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.” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Letter from Birmingham Jail” This year marks 61 years since Dr. King gave his iconic ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. 📜It also marks 61 years since he was imprisoned for his peaceful march, where days later, he wrote his historic “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. History, transformation, and progression are easy to honor decades later - but in this present moment, these three areas are much more complicated, painful, and even frightening to understand. 🤝 May Martin Luther King Jr. Day be a reminder that the fight for justice is continuous, and each of us plays a role in shaping a more equitable future. 👥 Read our blog and consider sharing it with your collegues and peers to learn more about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Emmett Till, Fred Hampton, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Toni Morrison, and James Baldwin to celebrate today by sharing awareness and education: https://bit.ly/3S1EdYG You may not see the light at the end of the tunnel for many of the ongoing fights and challenges global communities are facing today. You may not see them tomorrow. But the hope is that one day, children and people from the future will - and they will celebrate and appreciate our efforts to create a better world. #MartinLutherKingDay #CivilRightsDay #JusticeForAll #Equity

In honor of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., we are reflecting on what it really means to create genuinely integrated communities. We feel that to create genuine integration today we first must acknowledge that full, genuine integration hasn’t happened yet. We need to see and understand that the full promises of democracy have yet to be genuinely realized. We must acknowledge that segregation isn’t a relic from the 1960s. It’s a force that still lives with us today. ... We say this not to dismiss the progress that has been made in our country. We say it to highlight one of the obstacles that stands in the path of further progress - complacency. See, the progress we need today often gets stopped short because people feel the issue of segregation has already been solved. Because the Civil Rights movement often gets flattened into history book sound bites, many privileged people get the false idea that the movement is over, that the dream has been achieved, and this false idea causes people to lose urgency and motivation and momentum. This false idea however hides the fact that schools today are arguably more segregated than they were during the Civil Rights movement. ... We need to understand that NOW is the time for genuine integration, not yesterday and not tomorrow. Today, we need to honor how far we’ve come while simultaneously seeing how far we still have to go. We need to maintain momentum and urgency and not let flattened ideas of the past distract us from the work that still needs to be done today. To learn more about the work we do at Integrated Schools and to join us, visit our website. https://buff.ly/3OrYcxh ... Here is a link to Dr King's speech in its entirety: https://buff.ly/2R3fr8Y #MartinLutherKingJr #MLKJR #MLKDay #MLKJrDay #IHaveADream #SocialJustice #Activism #SocialChange #Integration #IntegratedSchools #inclusion #community #redlining #diversity #socialjustice #socialjusticeeducation #wealthgap #local #publicschools #parenting #parent #momlife #dadlife #boymom #girlmom

  Amidst today's fervent cries for justice, the enduring dream of Martin Luther King Jr. bellows across time, beckoning us toward a future shaped not by the hues of our skin but the strength of our character. "I have a dream," declared King, casting a vision of a world where his children—and all children—would stand valued for their virtues, not their appearance. This rallying cry from his iconic 1963 speech is not a relic of the past but a living testament, urging us forward in the relentless pursuit of equality.   This clarion call from Dr. King transcends the decades, challenging us to shatter the chains of systemic racism and build a reality where meritocracy trumps melanin, where contributions outweigh color. His call to action demands more than remembrance; it requires a vigorous commitment to cherish diversity and fiercely defend the rights of every individual, tearing down the walls of racial division.   Now, as we confront the specters of prejudice, let us anchor ourselves to King's powerful vision. Let us not only look but leap beyond the superficial, embracing every soul's intrinsic value. King's words are not just a beacon of hope; they are a summons to every one of us—to institutions, communities, and nations—to rise, to act, and to shape a world that honors the dignity inherent within us all. #MLKDay #MLK #MartinLutherKingJr #MartinLutherKing #MLKJr #IHaveADream #CivilRights #BlackLivesMatter #MLKQuotes #Justice

This #MLKDay weekend, we encourage everyone to learn more about Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. 📚 Go beyond the short quotes politicians and corporations post year after year. Read the Kings' interviews, sermons, and speeches to better understand the complete context. Challenge yourself to genuinely understand how they viewed critical issues like poverty and wars. 💡 Today, there are several ongoing humanitarian catastrophes around the world. What might they think about the origins of those conflicts and disasters? How would they suggest approaching solutions? ✨ We are fortunate that The King Center has continued to uplift Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King's legacies so that we can all continue to learn from their teachings on non-violence and vision for a more equitable society. 💗 Below, we have shared a quote from #MLK's 1964 #NobelPrize lecture titled "The Quest for Peace and Justice." We believe this lecture is poignant, and this section is timely: "Violence is impractical because it is a descending spiral ending in destruction for all. It is immoral because it seeks to humiliate the opponent rather than win his understanding: it seeks to annihilate rather than convert. Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love. It destroys community and makes brotherhood impossible. It leaves society in monologue rather than dialogue. Violence ends up defeating itself. It creates bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers." #MLK #MartinLutherKingJr #CorettaScottKing #BelovedCommunity #BeLove #MLKDay2024 #CivilRights #HumanRights #War #Peace

As we commemorate Juneteenth, let’s reflect on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s powerful words: "For more than a century of slavery and another century of segregation, Negroes did not find mass unity nor could they mount mass actions... But in the last decade, Negroes united and marched. And out of the new unity and action, vast monuments of dignity were shaped, courage was forged, and hope took concrete form." Dr. King's observations remind us of the critical role of class and mass actions in the fight for equality. These mechanisms allow marginalized communities to unify, amplify their voices, and challenge systemic injustices. June 19, 1865, marked the emancipation of the last enslaved African Americans in the Confederacy, a pivotal moment in the journey toward justice and equality. For those of us working in law, Juneteenth serves as a powerful reminder of the progress we have made and the ongoing commitment required to uphold justice for all. #Equality #Justice #CivilRights #Juneteenth

Today, we observe 100 days of our citizens being held in captivity under the most horrific conditions. 100 days for families to sit here not knowing the fate of their loved ones. 100 days of knowing the terrible scenes these children, youth, women, men have endured and not knowing - Are they hungry? Are they cold? Is it damp and wet? Do they have clean water? Is someone hugging the baby? Do they know that we care? Tomorrow, the USA celebrate the life of one of the greatest icons of the fight for civil rights, Martin Luther King Jr. In his words...... "There are Hitlers loose in America today, both in high and low places… As the tensions and bewilderment of economic problems become more severe, history(‘s) scapegoats, the Jews, will be joined by new scapegoats, the Negroes. The Hitlers will seek to divert people’s minds and turn their frustration and anger to the helpless, to the outnumbered. Then whether the Negro and Jew shall live in peace will depend upon how firmly they resist, how effectively they reach the minds of the decent Americans to halt this deadly diversion…. (Martin Luther King Jr. May 14, 1958 address to the National Biennial Convention of the American Jewish Congress) We ALL need to unite with the goal of freeing those that have been taken. This is a common fight that we, the hated minority need to be together on. We need to end the terror reign of Hamas, bring the hostages home and allow our borders and our towns to be safe once again. #bringthemhomenow

We are about to celebrate Martin Luther King's Day on Monday, Jan 15. Research is our weapon to fight inequality, inequity, and indicate where solutions may be found. Below is some of our recent research work: Black and Hispanic Women's Financial Well-being: https://lnkd.in/grpg7Ms2 Financial Literacy and Wellness among African-Americans: New Insights from the Personal Finance (P-Fin) Index: https://lnkd.in/g3Ub9cjg Financial Literacy and Wellness among African-Americans: https://lnkd.in/dXcKne6 Let's work together towards Martin Luther King's "dream", nobody should be left behind. #MLKDay #CivilRights #Equality.

Today marks the anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On this day in 1968, we reflect on his legacy and the progress made towards equality, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. However, there are still tremendous setbacks and much work to be done, especially for minorities and minority businesses. Check out this article by Dr. Russ Wiggington of the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel to learn more about the ongoing fight for DEIB. #wesupportdeib 💪 🔥 🤲

A striking and very powerful portrait…