Happy Birthday MLK !!! A letter to myself (and you too).

Dear Bambi,

In lieu of Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday, I will take a moment to acknowledge ALL the great African American men and women who have suffered and fought for all my rights to be an educated African American female, with the privilege to vote, and the right to take advantage of my U.S Bill of Rights, Constitution, and the same public establishments as anyone else. THANK YOU.

Many take these rights for granted but you should, at the very least, take a moment and pay homage to the NUMEROUS lives lost for these supreme rights. Many of us could not even fathom fighting and dying for something we feel like our people, as a whole deserve, let alone working together to achieve common goals. You are truly blessed for those that came before us. You should be proud of your people! You come from a people who sat when told they had to move, who marched when they were ordered to be still and docile, and who spoke when expected to be silent. You come from men and women who armed themselves to protect their communities because they knew their rights, from people who built this nation (literally and figuratively), and tenacious women and men whose blood has been spilled all over this nation. So behave accordingly...you have rich history and you can walk with your head held high but remain humble because you still have history to make and your grandchildren need a future that is more promising than taking instruction from a rapper named 2 Chainz. My (For many of us, our) parents were the first generation that weren't forced/required to be domestics or work for Caucasians. They worked hard so we could have futures. So we can celebrate days like today for the many accomplishments of our famous and unknown heroes (i.e Nana, granddad, auntie, Mr. Williams from down the street, etc) thus far.You still have work to do. Happy Birthday Martin Luther King and thank you for all you diligence is fighting for my racial equality!

Sincerely, Bambi

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Martin Luther King Jr