Editor's note: The Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission will hold a virtual remembrance of Dr. King's April 4, 1968, assassination at noon today on its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages and at https://youtu.be/sKxByhWFNrQ.
Dr. King said, "Today we stand between two worlds, a world that is gradually passing away and a world that is being born. We stand between the dying old and the emerging new."
As generations shift and yesterday's infants evolve into adults and leaders, the work of the Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission is vitally important.
This commission's efforts aren't limited to the MLK Holiday or to Black History Month. As issues of racial tension, social justice, relationships with law enforcement, and socioeconomic disparities continue to dominate the news headlines and during a crisis, the Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission is working on behalf of the people of Arkansas.
Under the leadership of Executive Director DuShun Scarbrough, the work of the Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission, a division of the Arkansas Department of Education, is just as relevant and vital today as it was during his time. In alignment with the ideals of Dr. King, the Arkansas MLK Commission is dedicated to commemorating significant events that defined Dr. King's life of service, economic empowerment, and justice.
Through its diverse array of programming, the commission creates opportunities for youth to learn about history, become civically engaged in their communities, and give back to society, especially to the less fortunate. During his lifetime, Dr. King encouraged service to humankind as a route to realizing purpose and fostering mutuality and understanding.
To serve Arkansans and make his legacy "live" for Arkansans, keeping the King legacy alive for a visual and virtual culture must be more than showing black and white photos or playing the "I Have A Dream" speech once a year. As executive director, Scarbrough seeks to make the King legacy more substantive than that.
It is our goal to share that legacy and continue his dream with Arkansans across the state regardless of race, age, creed, religion. To date, the Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission has hosted programs in all four congressional districts and even programs entirely in Spanish.
The first quarter of 2020 came with life-altering challenges. The commission found various opportunities to share Dr. King's message by serving hurting people and addressing societal ills. The year 2020 was also an election year for president, and the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act which Dr. King and so many others helped to pass. To commemorate this milestone, the commission hosted nonpartisan voter registration campaigns to raise awareness about voting and to get people involved in the electoral process through education and outreach.
Secondly, the covid-19 pandemic prompted the commission to give away food and toys to thousands of families across the state through partnerships and volunteerism. "Through this effort [food and toy giveaway], we observed the Poor People's Campaign of 1968, and while it fought on the front lines for racial equity, it was also Dr. King's vision to champion economically disadvantaged citizens," says Scarbrough.
The commission also teamed up with several organizations that serve at-risk communities to work toward raising awareness and compassion about the plight of economically disadvantaged people while addressing the immediate needs of homeless and at-risk residents, which include health screenings, acquiring a form of identification, food, housing, and health care.
With the heightened racial tension surrounding the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, the commission hosted programming to develop solutions and provide a forum for community leaders to candidly discuss social issues and develop solutions through "Crucial Community Conversations."
The commission works year-round to continue Dr. King's dream for current and future generations.
We are constantly looking for ways to "bring it home" to new generations who've never had the experience of being told to sit in the back of the bus but may feel uneasy when they are pulled over by police officers, or they may need conflict management skills which the commission promotes to youth through Dr. King's "Six Principles of Nonviolence."
We believe Dr. King's dream of a world where acceptance, equity, diversity, and mutual respect prevails, thus fueling our work and mission.
Tiffany G. Pettus is a member of the Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission.