Carrying the Dream, One Step at a Time

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! I curated a list of inspiring activities and resources to help you celebrate Dr. King’s legacy.

Brew For Thought

Dr. King stood for equality, justice, love, and hope. With every breath and every step, he lived this mission and fought for a brighter day for all of us.

He and Civil Rights activists understood the power of community.

Churches, restaurants, barbershops, salons, hotels, and universities became meeting grounds for change. They used these spaces to strategize protests and deliver community support.

Many of these businesses and community spaces are still around today, including Paschal’s restaurant in Atlanta, Dooky Chase restaurant in New Orleans, HBCUs across the south, and Dr. King’s church, Ebenezer Baptist Church, also in Atlanta.

Throughout his work, he emphasized how much we are all connected, across the country and the world. He often reminded people that justice, dignity, and daily life are deeply intertwined.

In one sermon, he highlighted how the little parts of our morning routine are a testament to how interconnected we are to different cultures.

In “The Man Who Was a Fool” sermon, Dr. King says,

“Something should remind us before we can finish eating breakfast in the morning we are dependent on more than half of the world. We get up in the morning and go to the bathroom and reach over for a sponge, and that's handed to us by a Pacific Islander. Then we reach over for a bar of soap, and that's given to us at the hands of a Frenchman. And then we reach up for our towel, and that's given to us by a Turk. And then we go to the kitchen for breakfast, getting ready to go to work. Maybe this morning we want to follow the good old American tradition, and we drink coffee. That's poured in our cups by a South American. Or maybe we are desirous of having tea. Then we discover that that's poured in our cup by a Chinese. Or maybe we want cocoa this morning, and then we discover that that's poured in our cup by a West African. Then we reach over for a piece of toast, only to discover that that's given to us at the hands of an English-speaking farmer, not to mention the baker. And so before we finish eating breakfast in the morning we are dependent on more than half of the world.”

We come from many places, but we are all connected.

Standing hand-in-hand across cultures opens us up to countless adventures. Taking time to pour into your culture and explore others around the world can enrich your life.

Live every day in the dream of shared humanity that Dr. King envisioned and carry his legacy with you in every step you take.

Pour in Appreciation

Use your coffee break for grounded reflection on Dr. King’s life and intention-setting for carrying his legacy.

If you could thank Dr. King, what would you say? Write a thank-you letter to him, sharing how he has made a difference in your life.

Write a letter of hope to your community. How would you like to see it grow? What are ways you can support local causes, businesses, and organizations? Use your letter as a starting point for how you can uplift your community.

Reflect on your daily routine for opportunities to engage more with your local culture.

• Get a cup of coffee from a local café.

• Take your daily walk at your community center.

• When you need a good or service, check a local business first.

You never know how these spots will pour back into your community, now and in the future.

Also, support the Black-owned businesses in your community. A great business in my area is Mahogany Books. It’s a café and bookstore featuring works by Black authors. They hold lots of book discussion events each month. If you’re ever in the DMV area, definitely check them out.

Explore Culture + Community

Have a history and hope walk. Channel the peaceful determination that carried activists through the Civil Rights Movement. Have a mindful moment of gratitude for all of their work. Consider ways to honor their legacy and carry the torch forward in your everyday life.

One activity for your stroll is enjoying Dr. King’s teachings. Listen to one of his speeches or books while you walk. I recently read his book, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?

It’s an incredibly timely book sharing his thoughts on the next steps the United States can take for racial and socioeconomic justice. If you want to buy the book, you can use my affiliate code to order it on Bookshop.com and support independent bookstores.

If you’re walking at home, another way to elevate your stroll is by watching a walkthrough video of a historic site.

Watch While You Walk

Here’s a video walking through the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, DC.

Enjoy this video tour of Dr. King’s National Historical Park and his home.

Explore a heritage site virtually or in person. There are countless places across the country that played a role in the Civil Rights Movement. Turn your heritage stroll into an adventure. Visit historic sites throughout the year and map your progress as you go.

Help create change. Get involved in a local cause to brighten your community. Volunteer, donate, and raise awareness for a cause close to your heart.

Warm Wishes

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This post was originally published on exploringovercoffee.substack.com.