A Deeper Reflection on MLK Day

On this day, we honor the memory and contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Many have January 16 off work for a federally designated “National Day of Service” to honor Dr. King and encourage all Americans to volunteer and improve their communities. We reference this as a “day on, not a day off.”?

With that in mind, let’s pause and remember how we came to nationally recognize Dr. King.?

Legislation to recognize MLK Day was first introduced just four days after his assassination in 1968. It took 15 years of persistence by the Congressional Black Caucus and other Black activists for the holiday to be approved by the federal government in 1983. However, each state government hadn’t yet recognized MLK Day.??

In 1993, a notable brand protest emerged, as the NFL leveraged their power to move the Super Bowl from Phoenix to Los Angeles when the state of Arizona failed to make MLK Day a paid holiday.?

There was staunch opposition to the recognition of MLK Day from state senators, local?government, and even up to President Ronald Reagan. Many questioned if Dr. King was important enough to have a holiday as he was accused of being both a communist and a Marxist.??

Numerous instances of both racial and political resistance had to be pushed through for the national recognition Dr. King has today. ?

It took until 2000 for South Carolina to become the last state in the country to make Martin Luther King Jr. Day a paid, stand-alone holiday.?

So now that you have a history lesson, what does all this mean today as we reflect on Dr. King??

First, in my opinion, we’ve become extremely detached from who Dr. King was. ?

Outside of being one of the architects of the civil rights movement, Dr. King was a Nobel Peace Prize winner, one of the greatest orators in U.S. history, and an author of several books. He was an unapologetic defender of Black Americans and other marginalized people who imagined a better life for all – including jobs with adequate wages, affordable housing suitable for families, and quality education.?

Society has adopted Dr. King as a symbol and icon for peace and, arguably, a mascot for volunteerism. Yet he championed nonviolent direct action, condemned oppression, and purposely created tension within America for people who idly stood by in the fight against racism and police brutality.?

Second, it seems we’ve reduced MLK to Pinterest and Instagram-friendly quotes and images. Year after year, we consistently see Dr. King’s speeches, writings, and messages cherry-picked and fluffed—from brands to politicians—to make a palatable version of Dr. King’s quest for Black liberation and injustice.?

Need an example? We’re all familiar with Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. Yet, here’s the opening two paragraphs:?

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the?Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to?millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a?joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.?

But 100 years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is?still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One?hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean?of material prosperity. One hundred years later the Negro is still languished in the corners of?American society and finds himself in exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to?dramatize a shameful condition. In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check.?

Think about this: Dr. King was 100 years removed from the Emancipation Proclamation. We’re now 50+ years removed from Dr. King being murdered for his championing of civil rights. Much of what Dr. King said above still holds vastly true today, but is often romanticized with the more comfortable illustrations of Black and white children holding hands. All of those are important, but we’ve got some work to do in the fight for justice and equality. And one step in mobilization is to showcase Dr. King’s relevance and true meaning through campaigns that inspire self-reflection and change. ?

There's no better time to take action for those of us who work in marketing, content, and partnerships across brands and professional sports. We’re all in a unique situation to fight from a different place in today’s civil rights battle. ?

From the inside out.?

Many of us either control marketing and advertising budgets or can influence?the people who make those decisions. There are also those of us who oversee corporate philanthropy or run businesses that range from small to Fortune 100. This is a chance to use your power to affect change and leave an impression on consumers.??

Whatever your role, don’t dissolve the holiday (or Dr. King) into a post or two that simply?virtue-signals or morphs the holiday into a volunteer day. Use today to reflect on your?company’s mission, values, and practices to see if they line up with Dr. King’s life and?aspirations. Organize and mobilize content to be authentic, but not typecasting, when it comes to Black and minority employees. Use today not to conform, but to reform your brand identity to be purposeful with your impact and activism efforts.?

That’s what I plan to do today and throughout 2023 – push boundaries.?

I’m on the board for an organization called Sports Biz Camps, which creates pathways to careers in sports for underrepresented high school and college students. I've dedicated my career to help other Black and brown students who grew up challenged by economic mobility like me, to navigate through the sports industry that’s historically not had the best representation off-the-field. I’ve started businesses and nonprofits to support, promote, and mentor young Black professionals.?

My current work with GMR Marketing allows me to do all of the above, while also consulting and pushing brands to think about their influence in diverse communities while connecting them to the culture.?

Throughout every facet of my life, I can only hope to have a fraction of the impact Dr. King had.?

I advocate for marginalized people and push new ideas and ways of doing things that spur?conversation and drive change.?

So today, I’m not running out to sign up to volunteer for just one day, because my life is embedded in creating seats at the table and opportunities for others. Instead, I challenge you to use the very thing Dr. King was killed for – your whole self – to join me to create change every day.?