Because He Had a Dream, I Have a Dream

Thoughts on Martin Luther King's Quotes and Impact for DEI Today

It is difficult to talk about Martin Luther King and adequately capture the impact he made and his legacy in the world. He was one of the most important founders of social justice, and his work has inspired so many people, myself included, to step up and advocate for a better world.

The days during which Martin Luther King declared, "I Have a Dream," are similar to today in that we are still fighting racism each and every day. And yet, he was advocating in a different time, and many things have changed since those days. If he were alive today, MLK would be all over every single news station, Twitter feed, or Instagram story. Social media would carry his words farther than was possible during his time.?

But since he isn't here today, I'd like to look at some of his quotes and consider how he would respond and encourage those who are at the start of their DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) journey.

"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."?

-Martin Luther King

Sincere ignorance refers to people who?do not know, and conscientious stupidity refers to those who?do not want to know. And both are dangerous because they allow racism and inequality to persist.?

But ignorance can be combatted through education. We live in a world where we have access to thousands of high-quality, informative, educational materials through just a few touches of a button. There are podcasts, TED Talks, YouTube videos, and books available to help us learn and grow in knowledge. This is why I created?Amplify DEI —to bring together diverse voices to educate and start conversations about DEI.?

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

?-Martin Luther King.

It seems like just about every company or organization has something to say about DEI these days—in fact, it seems pretty?noisy?out there a lot of the time. But how much of that is meaningful work? People often settle for performative action rather than real action, which is nearly the same as remaining silent altogether.

But we can cut through the noise by being authentic and genuine, speaking up, and telling our stories. Stories of diversity, struggles, pain, and growth—these are the ones that need to be told. If Martin Luther King were here today, he'd be sharing his story on every platform available. It is time to find our voices and speak up about injustice using the available tools.?

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in a moment of comfort and convenience, but when he stands at times of challenge and controversy."?

-Martin Luther King.

I want to extend this quote to encompass all genders—male, female, non-binary, and other identities. Part of embracing unique gender identity is about stepping out of a comfort zone or societal expectations.

Stepping out of your comfort zone is the starting place for growth and development, and it's where the magic happens. The first step is to truly understand and know the value of DEI. After that, it's about deactivating your unconscious biases and overcoming them. This can be difficult and uncomfortable, but that's exactly where growth, change, and development happen.?

We can really only imagine what Martin Luther King would say today or what he might think about our activism work. But what I know is this: because of his relentless pursuit for equality and fight for social justice, I am inspired to fight for the same. His dream becomes my dream, and I plan to continue my work with?Amplify DEI ?to advocate for inclusive workplaces so that my son and his generation have a better future and are valued for who they are.