Ways to Work for Equity on MLK Day

Aligning with the fight for equity, United Way of Midland’s work focuses on health, education and financial stability for every person in our community, particularly those in traditionally underserved neighborhoods.

We, as a community, can and must do better to guarantee that the basic human rights and freedoms of every person in Midland are protected. We must all do our part, working United, to make our community a place where everyone has the resources, opportunities, and support they need to thrive.

To that end, we are calling on you to join us in the fight for equity and justice in Midland. On January 18, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, consider taking one or more of the following actions in order to honor Dr. King’s legacy and keep up his work in the 21st century.

  1. 1. Join us on this National Day of Service with one of these COVID-safe opportunities:
    1. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Virtual Celebration @11:30am - Join Here
  2. Educate yourself about systemic racism and oppression. Spend a few hours on Martin Luther King Jr. Day reading, watching, or listening in order to learn more about our country’s history of racial injustice and how people are organizing for change.
    1. To Read:
      1. The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.
      2. Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
      3. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
      4. Historical Foundations of Race by The National Museum of African American History and Culture
    2. To Watch:
      1. Systemic Racism Explained
      2. Civil Rights Movement on PBS
      3. 13TH: Director Ava DuVernay's examination of the U.S. prison system
    3. To Listen:
      1. How Race Was Made | SceneOn Radio
  3. Support local minority-owned businesses and restaurants. Click here.
  4. Call or write your local or state officials to express your support for policies that promote racial justice.
  5. Join Midland’s local NAACP chapter. The organization is open to everyone, no matter your race or ethnic background.
    1. Local Contact: Eddie Rab, eddierabb@icloud.com, 512-296-3602
  6. Talk to a child in your life about race. Reading a book is an easy way to teach this complex concept to children. Good options include: 
    1. A Kids Book About Racism by Jelani Memory 
    2. Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness by Anastasia Higginbotham 
    3. A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara 
    4. Sometimes People March by Tessa Allen

These ideas are just a few ways you can get started. The fight for racial justice and equity should continue beyond MLK Day. It will take everyone working together, year-round, United for equity, United for change.

As Dr. King once said, “If you can’t fly, run. If you can’t run, walk. If you can’t walk, crawl, but by all means, keep moving."