This article was originally posted on January 18th, 2020

In honor of Martin Luther King Day, I want to talk about his importance to me, and his influence on me.

Last year I talked about how we could really use someone like him in our lives right now. I still firmly believe that, but with a new administration coming in, one that will listen to people, that will hold people accountable, one that is diverse, I think MLK would have been somewhat pleased with where we will stand on January 20th. I'm sure he would want more changes, we all do, but the people who will be entrenched in their jobs soon enough are a diverse group, more diverse than ever in fact. But back to my point for today. MLK was a big, big influence on me. I, like most others, did not learn of him until elementary school, but my learning did not stop there. I have studied the man. I watched all his speeches. I have seen movies and documentaries on him. I have been to Memphis, been to the Civil Rights Museum and have seen where his life was tragically cut short. MLK was not someone I learned about and then forgot. He has stayed with me. More importantly though, his message has stayed with me.

My parents instilled it in me, I tell my kids everyday to not judge a person by how they look, I try to teach the kids I coach things MLK said and did. He is a part of my life, by choice. I know his I Have a Dream speech is the most famous, but it is for a reason. When he says that he "has a dream that his four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character", it still moves me. It still resonates with me. It is how I live my life. I do not judge anyone before I get to know them personally, if it gets there. I will not move to one side of the street or another because of the person that is coming towards me. My inflection and tone of my voice does not change no matter who I am talking to. I find it crass and ignorant to do "impressions" of other people from other races. All this, and so much more, where instilled by MLK, and my folks. My parents grew up in the 60's. They were there for MLK's speeches, peaceful protests and his unfortunate assassination. I feel like, much as he had an impact on me, he had one on both of my parents. They raised not only me to be the type of person I am today, but my three other brothers also. We are all very accepting, loving people. We never just judge someone and move on. We give the benefit of the doubt more times than not. I think a big part of that is because of my folks, and how they experienced MLK's life. Heck, if it weren't for both of them, I would not have been able to go to the Civil Rights Museum, or the hotel where he was killed. They had me do that because they knew it would be a great thing for me, and also a way for them to remember the oppression and the past. I am forever grateful to my parents for teaching me young, and continuing to do it even today, in my late 30's.

This year though, and really the past four years, have made me want to be as much like MLK as I can be. The past four years have been a total mess. This country has become scary racist. There are a lot of people that do and say bad things that are in positions of power. I decided this year, well in November of 2020, to get involved. I phone banked for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. I participated in Black Lives Matter marches, and have done as much as I can for that movement. I am giving my time to talk to people, be it via email or phone, about how important it is, especially right now, to understand this movement, and where it is coming from. I don't know that I would be doing all these things without my parents, or maybe even more importantly, the lessons I have learned from Dr. King. He has helped to shape my activism, my want to help others and my belief that we should not judge people by how they look.

Dr. King was a great man who was taken from us far too soon. He did so much, and could have done so much more. I am forever grateful for him, and his message and the way he fought peacefully for what he believed in. Happy MLK Day everyone. This is as important a holiday as we have in America. Cherish this day.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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