The Revolutionary Leader We Don't Know About by Christina

The Revolutionary Leader We Don't Know About by Christina - February 2014 Scholarship Essay

I remember doing macaroni art of this man when I was in elementary school and learning that he was a non-violent civil rights leader who helped end segregation in our nation. That was about the extent of his life that I learned from school. Why wasn’t I taught any of the other amazing things he did and the specific issues for which he stood? We so often see the soft, sanitized version of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a portrait picture posted through some medium of social media alongside such quotes as “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” and “Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.” They are great quotes and some things we all should consider, but they don’t paint a clear enough picture of one of the most revolutionary persons in the history of our nation. We forget that he had put his life in danger for many of the issues for which he fought.

One of my favorite quotes is taken from Dr. King’s speech A Time to Break Silence: “We must rapidly begin the shift from a ‘thing-oriented’ society to a ‘person-oriented’ society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.” I love this quote because it inspires action, and I can use it as part of my foundation for everyday living. Indeed, adopting this mentality would disrupt the status quo of big corporations with big egos. It would drive the new generations to spend less time on Facebook and more time in interacting face-to-face. The government would invest more in programs that regenerate and renew, and less in wars that destroy. A great leader has left us with instructions to help steer us in the direction of positive change. Why does it seem that most of the U.S. is not listening?

I had put off my desire to teach professionally because I feared failure. Our society had taught me that if I failed, there would be no one to help me because only the very wealthy win. It had taught me that all I needed to do is make a living to survive, but not truly live. In the quote, Dr. King says, “we must.” He is not merely suggesting but telling us what we need to do.

During the time that I had spent at a nonprofit leadership organization working with middle school and high school students, I was among individuals who strived to live by Dr. King’s words and work towards his vision. I was even given the wonderful opportunity to meet and speak with Jack O’Dell, who had worked closely with Dr. King. Since that time, I knew that I must go back to school to become a teacher. I do my best everyday to be “person-orientated,” but taking it to the professional level will help me fulfill a dream that is more meaningful and worthy than any materialistic endeavor could ever be.