When I was 7, a friend of mine moved away. We had recently developed a bond that centered around dancing and singing to our favorite music by Michael Jackson. When I overheard my parents talking about the reason for the move, I was completely confused. Why wouldn’t they feel comfortable in our school district? I never felt uncomfortable.
I thought about my friend a lot over the years. And as I learned about bias, discrimination, and racism, things started to make sense. I put together that my friend and her family didn’t feel welcome in our community because of the way they were being treated. They were one of the only black families in our predominantly white school district. This understanding made me sad. And it gave me important perspective.
I’m sharing this story in large part because we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day this week! His story, life, and legacy remind me to be vigilant when it comes to standing up for freedom, equity, and inclusion for all.
This is also an important story for me to share because one Dr. King quote in particular strikes a chord with me, as a coach and as a citizen.
The quote is:
“I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
In this episode of Growing in Uncertainty, I use this quote as the lens through which I look at my 2021 Focus Word of FREEDOM. I also give you a simple idea on how to nurture freedom within yourself as a way to promote freedom throughout your communities and beyond.
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