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“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

Happy Juneteenth! Learn more about why this important day is celebrated below!

Today, we celebrate Juneteenth, a significant day that marks the end of slavery in the United States and honors the enduring struggle for freedom and equality. This day is not just a historical milestone but a powerful reminder of the ongoing journey towards justice for all. Juneteenth, now recognized as a federal holiday, commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War had ended and enslaved people were now free—over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. This day symbolizes the triumph of the human spirit over oppression and the relentless pursuit of liberty for all races. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. poignantly stated, other races "Have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny." These words underscore the interconnectedness of our freedoms and the shared responsibility to ensure that equality is not just an ideal but a reality for all. Let us honor Juneteenth by acknowledging the spirit of unity and the promise of freedom for every individual. ✊🏽🎉 #Juneteenth #FreedomDay #EndOfSlavery #EqualityForAll #HumanRights #JusticeForAll #Unity #CivilRights #FederalHoliday #EmbraceFreedom

On July 4, 1776 our Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence for the original 13 colonies to sever our political connections with Great Britain. However, it was not until January 14th, 1784 that the Continental Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris, effectively ending the War for Independence/American Revolutionary War. It was on this date that Great Britain formally recognized the independence of the original 13 colonies as the United States of America. However, it was not until 5 years later that President George Washington was elected the 1st President of the United States. Today is January 15th, Martin Luther King Day, but I wanted to bring light to the importance of January 14th as it is not often recognized as a significant date in our Nation's history. This is not to disregard the historical significance of MLK Day but to hopefully serve as an additional reminder of how grateful we should all be to live in a country as great as the USA. Without getting too political, it seems that this year, being an election year, will be quintessential for the direction the country takes the next 240 years. The country is seemingly more divided than ever before and it will take us all to work for a more unified country moving forward regardless of what side of the aisle you fall in. Food for thought.

20 years of MLK library in 30 seconds!

How public attitudes toward Martin Luther King Jr. have changed since the 1960s About eight-in-ten American adults (81%) say civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. has had a positive impact on the United States, according to a Pew Research Center report that comes ahead of the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. This majority includes nearly half of Americans (47%) who say King’s impact has been very positive. Just 3% say his impact on the country has been negative. However, views of King haven’t always been so positive. In May 1963, only about four-in-ten Americans (41%) had a favorable opinion of King, according to a Gallup survey. That included just 16% who viewed him highly favorably, rating him +4 or +5 on a scale of -5 (most unfavorable) to +5 (most favorable). The survey was conducted shortly after King’s Birmingham Campaign, which led the Alabama city to remove signs enforcing segregation of restrooms and drinking fountains and to desegregate lunch counters. #mlkjr #civilrightsmovement #truthtelling #knowthetruth https://lnkd.in/eAuUK7zz

🌟 Celebrating Freedom and Progress: Honoring Juneteenth 🌟 At Riverside Financial Group, LLC, we believe in the power of financial freedom and the importance of recognizing the milestones that have shaped our nation's ongoing journey toward equality and justice. Today, we join in commemorating Juneteenth, a pivotal day in American history. 🗓️ What Is Juneteenth? And How Did It Become a Federal Holiday? Juneteenth, observed on June 19th, marks the day in 1865 when the last enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, were informed of their freedom, over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. This day stands as a reminder of the enduring fight for freedom and equality, and in 2021, it was officially recognized as a federal holiday. At RFG, we honor the resilience and contributions of Black Americans, and we remain committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As we reflect on this day, let us continue to strive for progress and create opportunities for all. 🔗 Read more about the history and significance of Juneteenth in this insightful article by the Wall Street Journal: https://lnkd.in/epMGAV3H #Juneteenth #Freedom #Equity #Diversity #Inclusion #RiversideFinancialGroup

01-10-24 @10:10 PM EST Martin Luther King Jr's "The Other America" "I think America must see that riots do not develop out of thin air. Certain conditions continue to exist in our society which must be condemned as vigorously as we condemn riots. But in the final analysis, a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it that America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the Negro poor has worsened over the last few years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice, equality, and humanity. And so in a real sense our nation's summers of riots are caused by our nation's winters of delay. And as long as America postpones justice, we stand in the position of having these recurrences of violence and riots over and over again. Social justice and progress are the absolute guarantors of riot prevention."

Forget the fake ALLies! The supercilious speeches about DEI after seizing podiums were just fanciful ways of projecting superior moral values by men and women without powerful inner substance. When some brothers and sisters were stating how these speeches were making them hopeful that things were going to change, I suggested that all these speeches meant nothing and were meant to gaslight Black people. Many of our folks thought I was being too negative. I choose not to argue with them and waited. Now, history is just repeating himself. When one has reached my age, one has witnessed how people who has said they cared about fairness and diversity would fold when a little bit of negative pressure was being applied. We have been sleepwalking and begging for so long within European American power structures that we usually jump for joy when anyone offers us left-overs from sumptuous dinners that we were not invited to. The only way forward is to build our own power structures. There is enough money in Black communities for that. The money is being spent in companies that we don’t own, buying hair and beauty products from people who don’t respect us, or going to restaurants that won’t hire us. Why are we so unwilling to boycott companies owned by hostile bullyonaires? Why are we crying over affirmative action instead of just sending our smartest children and our best student athletes to HBCUs? Let’s make these schools OUR SAFE PLACES. Forget the pretenders. “They smile in your face”, all the time, they don’t want you to rise.

Inaction speaks louder than words.