On Monday, January 17th, the country will mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the holiday honoring the civil rights leader who has now been gone far longer than he was alive, killed 54 years ago at the age of 39.
This year’s observation comes as the nation continues to grapple with a racial reckoning, and Dr. King’s family and The King Center in Atlanta are using the 2022 holiday to highlight the struggle for passage of federal voting rights legislation.
Along with being a holiday, MLK Day has become a widely-recognized day of service, inspiring and uniting volunteers to serve their communities. There are many opportunities to pitch in and make a difference, and many sources of ideas and places for giving back, including here in New Jersey.
Nationally, Points of Light is one nonprofit offering ways to get involved year round, and Jersey Cares is among the organizations with volunteer opportunities across the Garden State. The Center for Non-Profits is another resource dedicated to building a better New Jersey.
Dr. King’s words about justice, equality, change, helping others and love inform the work of our clients across all the nonprofit sectors we serve, and inspire our efforts to support these important missions every day.
To honor the King holiday, our team has gathered some of his words that keep his legacy alive, and have moved and motivated generations:
Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’
David Munshine, President & CEO
The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.
Julia Kathan, Chief Communications Officer
The time is always right to do what is right.
Tonya Addy, Executive Vice President
If you can’t fly, then run.
If you can’t run, then walk.
If you can’t walk, then crawl.
But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.
Megan Leitheiser, Senior Vice President, Development Communications
Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.
Shay Laderbush, Senior Vice President
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
Alex Napuck, Analytics and Research Manager
True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.
Cindi Altieri, Executive Assistant
And from all of us, as we strive to put these words into action every day:
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; Only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate; Only love can do that.