Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Do something!

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is next Monday January 17. I love that we take a day to honor this great American leader on his birthday. It’s important. It shows a national commitment to community service, justice, civic engagement, peace, and equality. Unfortunately, it also shows a national commitment to sleeping in, cleaning out closets, shopping, and indulgent television watching. If you are lucky enough to have an employer who honors this holiday by closing your office, I encourage you to honor this holiday by doing something in the memory of Dr. King.

Martin Luther King Day: “A Day On, Not A Day Off.” Brilliant, huh? I didn’t make it up, but I really like it.

Some resources for you:

The Office of Community Service at IUPUI is hosting a community service day. Monday the 17^th. 8am

http://ocs-iupui.blogspot.com/2010/11/mlk-day-of-service-2011.html

The Peace Learning Center is hosting its annual MLK Day Community Festival. Saturday the 15^th. 11am at the Christian Theological Seminary

http://www.peacelearningcenter.org/whats_new

Check out this great national resource to search for other projects!

http://mlkday.gov/

And if events aren’t your style, there are many other ways to celebrate the vision of Dr. King. Watch a documentary with your children about MLK. Shovel your neighbor’s driveway. Call your grandma and ask about her memories of the Civil Rights movement. Sign up to volunteer with a local nonprofit. Write your congressman. Thank your congressman. Sit down with your spouse and make your philanthropic giving plans for 2011. Take your mentee or little cousin to the Power of Children Exhibit at the Children’s Museum. Take your boyfriend to the Power of Children Exhibit (It’s really good!)

The possibilities are obviously endless. Don’t make this just another 3 day weekend. And please, tell us what you will be doing to honor Dr. King!