Attending the 7th annual
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. program at the University of West Georgia inspired me. In the event’s program, a
quote from Dr. King read, “[e]verybody can be great…because anybody can serve.
You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your
subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul
generated by love.” I learned more about myself from the keynote speaker’s life
experiences. There’s more things I could do better not only as a student, but
as a human being.
Immediately coming to the
podium, Judge Reed, the keynote speaker, started off telling jokes, and anytime
someone uses humor it grabs my attention. He wanted his message to be quick,
and said he was going to follow the 5 b’s which meant “be brief brother, be
brief.” A slideshow full of Dr. King pictures we normally don’t see shown in
the media accompanied Judge Reed, and he talked about being in the presence of
the King family in his childhood. One story he shared was the late Coretta
Scott King coming to Alabama, and staying with his family, and being mesmerized
by her company. Judge Reed brought insight about the King family you can’t get
anywhere else. He saw their down-to-earth selves, and normalcy that isn’t
really shown.
The center for diversity
and inclusion did an excellent job putting on a great program to commemorate
the life and legacy of Dr. King. From the several student organizations that
came together in unity, to the UWG faculty and staff who all gave wonderful
remarks. The King Holiday is a time where everyone should reflect on the core
values Dr. King stressed and the importance of social change and racial
equality.
