 The long awaited day
is here. The day America sees the first
African American president take office...just
one day after President-Elect Barack Obama
called on Americans to honor Rev. Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. by volunteering to
serve. Thousands across the country
heeded the call as Obama reminded us that the
day we honor Dr. King should not just be a time
to pause and reflect, but a day to act.
It seems fitting to me that the inaugural
ceremonies should come on the heels of the
national holiday on which we honor Dr.
King. I feel the country moving with a
renewed sense of activism and energy wrapped in
the language of change and hope. The hope
for me, is that this activism continues well
beyond 1/20/2009 -- like the spirit of our film
Finding Our Voices,
which underscores the importance of
participating in our democracy. In paying
tribute to the slain civil rights hero on
Monday, Mr. Obama said "Tomorrow, we will come
together as one people on the same mall where
Dr King's dream echoes still. As we
do, we recognize that here in America, our
destinies are inextricably linked. We
resolve that as we walk, we must walk together.
And as we go forward in the work of renewing
the promise of this nation, let's remember
King's lesson -- that our separate dreams are
really one."
The challenges are
great for the new president and his
administration. And we all must be
vigilant that our Constitution is restored and
our role in the democracy protected. And
that means that we must use our power to effect
policy. We can't expect one man and a
hall of elected officials to effect the change
we need without the support of the
people. So to that end I encourage us all
to stay informed, to speak our conscience, to
organize and participate in the issues most
dear to us. And for those who have no
desire to be politically active, there are ways
to serve the country...if you need help finding
them, check out
And remember Dr.
King's words: "Everybody can be
great because everybody can
serve."
Holly Stadtler, Exec.
Producer |
Printable Version
