I am a child of the 60s. I am a product of the Civil Rights Movement. As a Black woman, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was more than just a historical figure to me.
His work, his vision, his dream inspired me in many ways. Here’ a short list of four ways he inspired me:
1. To go and finish college (making me the first in my family to do so).
2. To major in communications so that I could tell “our stories” in the media. During college, I organized The National Black Women in Media student chapter and supported other type of groups including the National Association of Black Journalists.
3. After college, while working in media, I started another group, Blacks in Advertising and Radio and Television (BART), a non-profit career development and mentoring organization that held annual career days and gave away scholarships to African American students over a ten-year period. Our membership grew 1,000 and I mentored many new to the industry.
3. During the course of my career, I constantly sought out jobs that would make a difference and have an impact on the community. I landed a job as a development director for a small non-profit that sent inner-city kids to Christian camp during the summer; then worked as Public Relations Director for The Salvation Army.
4. Finally now, in my 22-year old business, Ministry Marketing Solutions Inc., where the mission is “Marketing The Message” – a message that matters and is life-changing. We promote authors, speakers, non-profits and minority-owned businesses. Before using only tradition media, now leveraging messages using new media and publishing a magazine that features Black Speakers.
As a great-grand daughter of a former slave, I still have a dream. And I work it everyday.
I never will forget where I came from – and I keep my eye on the prize of where I’m going.
What about you?
How did Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and the “Movement” inspire you? Leave me a comment below.
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