I've always respected Martin Luther King, Jr. What he stood for, preached for, fought for... means even more.
Why, you might ask? Well, I was just two years old when he died so I have no memories of anything while he was alive.
I think, for me, it's because of my family. In every family there is history and where there is history there are stories that are told to you as a child that stick with you. These stories help build your respect for your family, those around you, and can also help build up some respect for yourself.
One of the stories that has stuck in my mind since I was young was that that my aunts and uncles, were discriminated against because of their skin color... and yes, including myself. Some were "forced to ride in the back of the bus". I know that sounds so cliche, but some of the stories I've been told of their experiences makes me respect and love them that much more. It's just what I've been told...
I will NEVER forget being called a pickaninny by, of all people, a teacher because I was running where I was not supposed to be at school. I had no idea what it was until I went home to ask my mom.
So, how did my daughter and I celebrate today? We went to a pizza place where we were with a very beautifully diverse group of friends in a place that was filled with beautifully diverse people... having a really fantastic time!!!
Not in the too distant past would that have been possible. It wouldn't have been made possible now without the Martin Luther King, Jr.s or the Rosa Parks...
Embrace our differences and love each other for how well we treat each other...
