Let us commit to take action on our dreams by Nika White
About 48 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King stood before our nation and declared his dream. Because of that day, because of that moment, because of his determination, his focus, his fight and his dream, millions of people of all races, ethnicities and orientations have been able to realize their dreams. Dr. King’s conviction in what he believed is possible is inspiration that continues to move millions of people year after year to find ways to celebrate multicultural differences and embrace diversity.
MLK Dream Weekend is proud of the accomplishments over the past six years and in this seventh year intends to celebrate many milestones that have helped to shape this effort into what it is today.
· Over $45,000 in scholarships have been awarded to students including another 11 scholarships totaling an additional $45,000 to be presented at the 2012 Diversity Banquet.
· Over 6,000 people have been inspired by attending the MLK Dream Weekend Diversity Banquets, giving Greenville the opportunity to host individuals such as Dr. King’s daughter, Dr. Bernice King and Dr. King’s son, Martin Luther King III, Mr. Terrence Roberts of Little Rock Nine, motivational speaker, Les Brown, actress Lynn Whitfield, Coach Herman Boone, the inspiration behind the Disney film Remember the Titans and this year, nationally award winning and multifaceted journalist, Roland Martin.
· Health awareness education has been provided to hundreds along with our presenting partner, Greenville Hospital System.
· The local blood supply has been increased through sponsored blood drives working in conjunction with The Blood Connection.
· Volunteers have been provided opportunities to give back to the communities we serve, an extremely important value Dr. King taught us.
· Thousands of dollars have been awarded to local dreamers to help them pursue their dreams and inspire others in the process.
· Hundreds have had the opportunity for personal growth and development through our Day of Dreams workshops that span across topics such as financial planning, keys to achieving your dreams, living a healthy lifestyle and more.
The list of accomplishments goes on, but the biggest success is that we have ignited dreams – an important value that each of us can gravitate to no matter our age, race or gender. We celebrate the realization of those dreams by the millions of people who have advanced their lives and our society through their dreams come true.
Martin Luther King Dream Weekend offers us a time to celebrate how far we have come, how much we have achieved and how promising the future is for ourselves and for our children. This is also a time to challenge ourselves. We challenge the barriers and the lack of passion and drive that has prevented many of us from realizing our dream.
Dr. King’s dream was meant to inspire, to instill in people of all races and creeds a belief that if something is good, is right, and is beneficial, it can be accomplished. And though it’s true that accomplishments and achievements are individual acts, they are also community acts. In order to achieve meaningful progress we need each other, we need community spirit, community support and community prayer. How fortunate we are that the community of Greenville has stepped up in its efforts to expand the possibilities and potential for people of all races!
Together, we can build on the accomplishments of those around us. Together we can lead change in the Upstate, change in our creativity and our innovations, change in our culture and our mindset and change in our behaviors.
In 2012 let’s invite more dreams – big dreams and little dreams, individual dreams and communal dreams. In 2012 let’s encourage reverence for the mission of Dr. King by achieving great things, making a positive difference, to change our lives, our communities, our nation and our world for the better.
We all don’t need to attempt the impossible to make our mark. We just need to each become engaged and care about out how our lives impact others. Our commitment to take action on our dreams is where we must each begin. Thanks to Dr. King, the odds are no longer impossible. And the potential is infinite.
For a full listing of MLK Dream Weekend 2012 events, visit www.mlkdreamweekend.com.