Widener Remembers MLK Jr. with Service and Reflection
Dear Pride Community,
Understanding our history is critical for understanding ourselves. In coming together to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we remind ourselves of the sacrifices and struggles that paved the way for our own opportunities. We also recognize the work yet to be done.
Dr. King was an exceptional leader whose faith in nonviolence and love guided his work as a civil rights activist. He modeled this philosophy through his own willingness to risk assault, arrest, abuse, humiliation, and even death.
Though Dr. King’s leadership in the 1950s and 1960s was a highwater mark for racial justice, it is important for us to understand that he followed a long history of civil rights activism in the United States. Thousands of men and women, mostly Black, challenged the pervasive racism that ensured their second-class citizenship.
During his lifetime of activism, Dr. King spoke about the Beloved Community as a space in which everyone is cared for; a community of inclusion and affirmation where its members could come together to learn from each other, address concerns, and solve problems. The Beloved Community reflects personal authenticity, true respect, appreciation, and validation of others. The spirit of the Beloved Community can be found in Belonging. We continue to enhance our community by advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB).
On this day of remembrance, we encourage our entire community to come together in a spirit of belonging, hope, love, and justice for all. Let us reflect upon the footpath of Dr. King as we take our next steps to a better Widener and a better world – because we are in it!
Small actions can have tremendous impact. There are so many options for becoming a change agent! Reach out to a fellow member of the Pride and offer support. Lean into your commitment to belonging by becoming an ally to others. Speak up with courage and compassion when you witness injustice. Offer your time or resources to causes that speak to your heart. Vote! Become involved in Chester through volunteerism. Educate yourself on the history of racism and civil rights. We recommend Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, by Isabel Wilkerson. Walk in a march for social justice and become a visible part of the civil rights movement. Help us work for an equitable, safe, and loving society for all, in the spirit of Dr. King.
If you are in need of support, reach out to a member of our community. You are not alone.
With warmth and Widener Pride,
Dr. Stacey Robertson, President
Ms. Micki Davis, Chief Diversity Officer