Martin Luther King III and Arndrea Waters King: Peace, Justice and Equity for All (ep. 610)

SHOW NOTES:

•  “We are a much better society than the behaviors we are operating upon right now.” As leaders at the Drum Major Institute, Martin and Arndrea hope to infuse peace, justice, and equity in our society to eradicate the evils of poverty and bigotry, racism and violence.
• Arndrea organized the first National Conference on Hate Crimes and Hate Violence with over 100 national partners.
• In continuing living forward the legacy of his father, Martin has worked to eradicate evils on every continent besides Antarctica.
• “He disseminated that love and energy and wanted to do all he could for us.” Even as a child, Martin recalls that his dad had a sense that he wouldn’t have a lot time with his children so he strived to make it their time together meaningful.
• On April 3, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his own eulogy just one day before he was assassinated. Read the entirety of “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” here.
• The day after his father’s death, Martin’s mother Coretta Scott King brought him and his sister to Memphis where he was to lead a demonstration for the sanitation workers.
• “It almost seems as if Coretta Scott King knew on that day that she felt the need to show the world what would become of his dream and that even in the face of immense loss and amidst danger physically for her and her three older children, she wanted to answer that in the affirmative.  The dream that she, and in turn all of us, would have to continue the work of the dream that the dream would not and could not be lost.”
• Arndrea applauds her mother’s tremendous spirit of love and her work as a nurse in the midst of the AIDS epidemic where she trained other nurses to treat these patients with dignity and respect.
• Martin reminds us that we shouldn’t get to a point where we’re idolizing his father. “He would want us to embrace and execute the ideals that he had, and ultimately create the beloved community.”
• “We’re not after collective guilt. We’re after collective responsibility.” -Arndrea Waters King
• “If all of us were doing a little something, tomorrow we would have a better world.” – Martin Luther King III
• In addition to a gratitude list, Arndrea writes a list of those she needs or wants to forgive.
• “Civilization is a race between education and catastrophe.” – Arndrea Waters King
• “Be ashamed to die until you want a victory for humanity.” – Horace Mann
• Learn more about the Drum Major Institute here.

Did you enjoy today’s episode?

Today’s interview would not have been possible with out my dear friend Dr. Art McCoy. Dr. Art McCoy is a welcomed reminder of the special people continuing to do extraordinary things every day. Dr. Art McCoy’s radical yet practical intervention as Superintendent has transformed his district from a “dropout factory” to a 100% graduation rate. This inspiring conversation will spark unity + offer you concrete ways to be a change agent in your community. Listen to Dr. Art McCoy in ep. 266.