"Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through
continuous struggle."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
On Saturday, January 10th, my husband and I decided to take our sons to see the movie, "Selma", the recently released motion picture drama based on the events of the historical marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama which led to the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This year marks its 50th Anniversary! The scene was set during a troubling time in our nation, right in the midst of a movement toward racial equality and the protection of the civil rights for all Americans. If you have not had a chance to see this movie, it is a MUST see! It is powerful and gripping from start to finish, and filled with such dramatic performances that you will literally be on the edge of your seat the entire time!
This movie will take you to a time where you witness the strength, passion, sheer determination and resilience of those who participated in the Civil Rights Movement. The peaceful, yet hugely effective protests, the sit-ins, the boycotts, the marches, and all other acts that afforded African-Americans the freedoms we enjoy today; the opportunity to eat at any restaurant we choose, use public water fountains, VOTE (which is something EVERY legal citizen over the age of 18 should be doing), and to sit and enjoy a movie like this one in a movie theater in the south. It is a great movie to see with the family, and especially your children. It is a part of our history, and although it is a heart-wrenching drama, it is still a movie well worth seeing. We cannot take the sacrifices of these brave men and women for granted. The movement is not over. It is important that the next generation have a greater understanding of the journey we have traveled, and how critical it is that knowledge is transferred to keep us moving forward as a people.
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Selma" refueled our desire to attend the Annual MLK Day March as a family. There is so much we have to expose them to about the struggle...there is so much to be remembered about our past, and we have to stay in constant dialogue in hopes of further advancing the outcome of our future. On Monday, January 19th, we joined the city of Murfreesboro, TN at the Central Magnet School to begin our walk toward Remembering the Dream! There was an ethnically diverse group in attendance, coming together for one common cause... to keep Dr. King's dream alive!
We made our way from Central Magnet through neighboring streets toward the Patterson Park Community Center, singing hymns and binding our hearts together. The event culminated with several inspiring presentations underneath the pavilion, and a reenactment of two of Dr. King's famous speeches, including his memorable "I Have a Dream". It felt good to be back at it. We can never forget.
"Let no man pull you low enough to hate him." ~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
It is our responsibility to inform the next generation of what it all truly means. The Dream of Dr. King still remains dear to our hearts. There have been so many negative images of young men in the news lately, we want to make sure ours experience a rich history, and become equipped with the resources to continue to be positive influences for their peers. I am so grateful for the examples our "Freedom Fighters" set for us all. How they taught us to fight, not with our hands, but with our will, our faith and our determination, and with the utmost dignity and self-respect. Let Freedom Ring!
"If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl; but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward." ~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Until next time, Peace, Love and Light!
Angela
The Creative Director
www.PhotographybySeanPonder.com
